My mum wanted me to be a lawyer – Nollywood Star

Nollywood Actor Richard Mofe-Damijo has disclosed how bad his Mum wanted him to be a Lawyer but he forced his way to become a famous actor first.

Now a lawyer, Mofe-Damijo, 56, making it to the cover of This Day Style Magazine for the second time, took to Instagram to say:

"Mama we made it.... Many many years ago after I had passed my higher school certificate examination, Mama Rich asked me what I was going to study at the university I said theatre arts. I could tell she wasn't happy at all. That didn't sound like the LAWYER her cousin had suggested I should become.

Tears in her eyes she kept begging me to study law. I knew she couldn't argue the case any further not because she was illiterate but the fact that as her only child she had also come to trust me a little bit. Also, my stubbornness or resolve won't allow me to shift grounds. She knows her Eyimofe. She also knew her tears moved me. So, very slowly I took her hands held them tight and looked into her eyes and assured her not to worry that I will be ok. We will be ok. That she will be "seeing me on television". This was 1980. At this time I wasn't sure how many Warri boys had "made it to television" let alone me the skinny boy from Welfare Road. Thankfully she didn't have to wait too long.

2 years later I got my first tv role... Emeka. The play Wrath of the Gods was an instant hit and winner of many awards. It wasn't just my victory, it was hers as well. Her son had done well, not as a lawyer but an actor. After all how many lawyers made it "to television" at that time in Warri or Nigeria as a whole and none of her friends' children had been on television, so there she earned her first bragging rights. Her son was famous, lawyer or not. She went to her grave happy.

Years later I would also become the LAWYER she so wanted me to be. Unfortunately, she didn't see me wear the wig and take photos with me. Not to worry, she went to heaven not only as Mama Rich but Mama Emeka, the other name her son was called as an actor in his first tv role. Here we are Mama Rich, 37 years later we have made it to the cover of Thisday Style twice now. Your Eyimofe is Actor, Lawyer and so much more. Thank you Mama Rich for all the sacrifices, Eyimofe loves you. Thank you @duchesskaykay and @thisdaystyle Photo: @tybello Style Direction: @ninacool22