How fame made my child a target at school – Bob Manuel

Veteran Nollywood actor Bob-Manuel Udokwu has revealed how his celebrity status affected his children’s school life, saying his daughter was singled out and bullied because of who he is.

Speaking in an interview on WithChude, the 58-year-old actor said his daughter faced harassment while in Junior Secondary School 1 at Queens College, with senior students punishing her simply for being his child.

“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 said.

He explained that he and his wife deliberately chose to keep their children in public schools to give them a normal upbringing and avoid distractions linked to his fame. “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,” he added.

Udokwu attended St. Peters Primary School, Enugu, and later Oraukwu Grammar School, Anambra, before earning a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts from the University of Port Harcourt.

The actor, who began his Nollywood career in 1992 with the iconic film ‘Living in Bondage’, is now the Special Assistant to the Anambra State Governor on Entertainment, Tourism, and Culture.

He is married to Cassandra Joseph, and the couple has two children.