Nollywood veteran Patience Ozokwor recently shared how she handled people trying to impose titles on her at the start of her career.
When she began acting, some tried to compare her to legendary actress Liz Benson, calling her the “Liz Benson of Enugu.” Ozokwor rejected this, insisting they were both unique.
She also turned down suggestions to use her husband’s first name as her surname, preferring to use his family name instead.
In an interview with Nwafo TV, Ozokwor explained, “When I started my acting career, people began recognizing me as the woman from Enugu. During a shoot in Lagos, people called me the ‘Liz Benson of Enugu.’ I respectfully declined, saying, ‘I want to be myself, Patience Ozokwor of Enugu.'”
She added, “Some suggested I use my husband’s first name, Edmund, as my surname. But in Igbo culture, you are married to a family, not just one man. My husband’s family name is Ozokwor. When people hear Ozokwor, they know where I come from.”
