Sola Sobowale, the ace actress, has recalled how she left
Nigeria to do menial jobs in order to cater to her children who were schooling
in the United Kingdom.
Speaking in the latest episode of #WithChude, the film star
said she left the fame and stardom to give her children the motherly love they
so “richly desire” while they were studying in UK varsities.
Sobowale also recounted how she left her mouthwatering
acting job, which was fetching her over N5 million within months — during the
early 2000s — for menial jobs in England.
She said while in the UK, she worked multiple “7.5 pounds per hour” jobs like cleaning, cooking, and mopping office floors to make ends meet.
“I went back to
England and noticed the kids lack motherly touch. Then I moved to England and
forgot stardom,” she told Chude Jideonwo, the media personality.
“Now, all of them are working and they appreciate me for my
sacrifice.
“I was practically living in Enugu where I was shooting a
movie, ‘Christ In Me’. After the movie, fame came. So I was given another film
job. I got over 10 movie jobs so I was stationed in Enugu. And in one location,
I spent one week. In that one week, I was on N800,000 and that was in the year
2000.
“So like that, when I
was going back to Lagos, I had over N5 million within how many months. The
money was blowing.
“So I left that for 7 pounds per hour jobs in England. Then
before I could make 1000 pounds I will have to work extra hard. There is
nothing this woman cannot do because I know what is called dignity in labour. I
will sweep anywhere so far it will put food on my table, cloth on my children,
and shelter on my head.
“I swept, cooked, washed, mopped, cleaned offices. Yes, I
did all those. The other thing is I wasn’t sleeping. On the train or bus, I
make sure I wear my uniform with the name of the company like that.
“Then you hear Nigerians say ‘She isn’t the one’, ‘Sola
Sobowale, no she isn’t the one’. I will then tell them it’s me, my name is Sola
Sobowale, so they will ask what I’m doing here and I ask them the same
question. I made a lot of friends. Now, I’m happy because it’s now history.”
She also revealed that she had initially wanted them to
attend one of the top varsities in Nigeria but was discouraged due to the
incessant strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
“Education is the only legacy you can give your children. So
inside me, I said if my children want to go to university they will either go
to the University of Ibadan, Ife, or Lagos but unfortunately, the varsities are
always on strike. A course of 3 years ends up to be 6 years,” she added.
“So I thought if I can pay this much for primary and
secondary, I should be able to for university too. So let my children leave
Nigeria, that was why I moved my children to London.”
Watch the video below:
We really missed her in Nigerian movie industry
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