Veteran Nollywood actress Patience Ozokwor has shared her story of slyly evading attempts to bestow titles upon her at the beginning of her career.
She disclosed that during the early stages of her acting career, some attempted to draw comparisons between her and the renowned actress Liz Benson, referring to her as “Liz Benson of Enugu.” However, she declined the comparison, reasoning that they are both distinct.
In a recent interview with Nwafo TV, Ozokwor claimed that when she first started to get recognition in the profession, she turned down offers to use her husband’s first name as her surname.
The movie star said; “I don’t know how it started, all I know was that when I started [my acting career] and people started recognising this woman from Enugu.
“So, there was a time I came to Lagos for a shoot and people started saying, ‘That’s her, this woman from Enugu.’ They said, ‘You’re the Liz Benson’ of Enugu.’
“I said, ‘No, with all due respect, I don’t want to be like Liz Benson, I want to be myself. I am Patience Ozokwor of Enugu’.
“And some people came and said, ‘You don’t even need to answer Patience Ozokwor again. Answer your husband’s first name Edmund; Patience Edmund.’
“I said, ‘No, because in Igbo land you’re not just married by one man, you’re married by a family. I don’t know about other tribes.
“So my husband’s people, their name is Ozokwor. When you mention Ozokwor in any part of this world, people who know the Ozokwors would say ‘I know where she comes from’.”
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. Names are who we are, the mark of our identity and each name is special and unique in its own way.
Live with Purpose, Love with Passion. Remember to be happy
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Rose Ajieh
