Nigerian actor Jim Iyke, has revealed that his father vehemently opposed his decision to become an actor.
Speaking on ‘This Seat Taken’ podcast, the actor revealed that he came from a family where a child’s life’s plan is already decided by his parents and since he was a young brilliant boy his father had high hopes for him.
“I was a straight A student, I was about 18 and a half when I finished my first degree. The idea was, ‘Get your MBA.’ That was the whole plan. My dad’s boss is American, so he already had a setup,” Jim Lyke revealed.
He narrated that he, however, came home one day telling his father he was not interested in furthering his education but wanted to pursue acting as a career.
Jim Lyke stated that his father immediately voiced his disapproval and even questioned if he could truly act as an introvert who was shy around new people.
But, the actor said his mother believed in him right away even though he had made no plans on how to achieve his goal as an actor.
“It was just a simple conviction. But she believed before I did. She started supporting me…and I think that is what makes mothers as unique as they are.”
However, Jim Iyke said that despite his mother’s approval staying home became uncomfortable with his father’s disapproval, and he was subsequently asked to leave home.
“It became unbearable to stay at home. So much so that one day, my dad woke up and said, ‘Listen, there can’t be two captains on this ship. You either go get this master’s going as quickly as possible; take one year, go do whatever nonsense you want to do, come back, and then we set the course again. Or you leave my house.’ So, I left.”
“What she [my mum] instilled in me all through that time of staying with her, learning from her, directing me, guiding me—I think that’s what pretty much shaped the man I became, how I pursued my goals, and what I eventually became today.”
