Veteran Nollywood actor Bob-Manuel Udokwu has revealed that his children faced challenges growing up due to his celebrity status, recounting how his daughter was bullied in school simply for being his child.
Speaking in an interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo shared on Instagram on Saturday, the 58-year-old actor said the incident occurred while his daughter was a Junior Secondary School 1 student at Queens College.
According to him, senior students repeatedly singled her out for punishment because of his fame, a situation he described as painful at the time, though his daughter now laughs about it.
“I have a good family. My kids are grown now. Being born and seeing your father is popular. And growing with all the inconveniences and all that,” he said.
“I remember when my daughter was in Queens College, some senior students were just punishing her for just being my daughter. Today when we talk about it, she will laugh. But it was not funny. She was in JSS 1.”
Udokwu explained that he and his wife deliberately chose to raise their children in public schools so they could experience a normal upbringing and avoid distractions linked to his public image. He noted that the decision was influenced by his own background.
“And I did not want to be in their face so that I do not distract them. We agreed they were going to go to public school, because I also attended public schools.”
The actor, who rose to prominence after starring in the 1992 classic Living in Bondage, is married to Cassandra Joseph and the couple has two children. He currently serves as Special Assistant on Entertainment, Tourism and Culture to the Anambra State governor.
