Ghanian actor and model Mawuli Gavor has shared why he abandoned his corporate job at KPMG to build a career in the creative industry.
Speaking in an interview with Blac Volta, the Ghanaian star explained that the pay and pressure at the audit firm could not match the opportunities waiting for him in entertainment.
“I will put it like this, sometimes in life, they say money stops nonsense,” Gavor said, recalling how much he earned while at KPMG. “At the time, I was taking GH¢770 a month. On paper, it looked good, but in reality, it wasn’t enough. I was torn between my job and the creative work I was getting.”
He described how he often struggled to balance both commitments, sometimes going for early-morning shoots before rushing to the office. “I would tell them I had to be at work by eight o’clock. They would say, let’s do the photo shoot at 6 a.m., but the people wouldn’t show up until 11 a.m. Imagine me at work in a tie after running around for a shoot. Eventually, I knew I couldn’t do both,” he said.
At one point, Gavor considered quitting entertainment altogether. But a breakthrough deal with Martini, a brand he was working with, changed his mind.
“So I told the Martini people, ‘Charlie, this thing is not working out. I wanted to tell them I was going back to my job. They asked how much I was making, and I told them. They said, how much do you make in a year? I wrote it down and gave it to them. They looked at it and said, if this is the case, we’ll give that to you today,’” he revealed.
According to him, that single offer, which equalled a year’s salary at KPMG, sealed his decision. “I just had to send a message to my HR at KPMG to resign,” Gavor said.
Beyond the money, he stressed that the creative industry gave him freedom that no office job could.
Since making the switch, Gavor has starred in several Nollywood films, including Obsession, Chief Daddy, Sugar Rush, and Joseph. He has also produced films and won awards, such as the Best of Nollywood award for Best Kiss in a Movie in 2018.
