Nollywood Actor Uzor Arukwe Opens Up on Financial Struggles After Marriage, Job Loss

 

Nollywood actor Uzor Arukwe has shared details of one of the most challenging periods of his life, revealing that he lost his job, experienced severe financial hardship and survived a car accident just months after getting married.

Speaking during an interview on Tope Olowoniyan TV, the 42-year-old actor recounted how his fortunes changed dramatically in 2013, shortly after he tied the knot with his wife, Barbara Boyd-Arukwe.

According to Arukwe, he got married in August of that year, but by November, he had lost his job, leaving him to confront financial uncertainty at a time when his family responsibilities were growing.

“The same year that I settled down, I lost my job. I got married in August, and I lost my job in November. My finances just went crazy,” he said.

The actor explained that the job loss coincided with another setback after he was involved in a car accident, further worsening his financial situation.

He disclosed that the combination of losing his income, repairing his damaged vehicle and meeting family obligations placed enormous pressure on him, especially as his annual house rent fell due every January.

Arukwe said that while many people looked forward to festive celebrations each December, he often spent the period worrying about how to pay rent and provide for his family.

“My yearly rent starts in January, so when everyone is doing Detty December, I’m always calculating. I’m not spending or partying; I’m literally planning how to survive,” he said.

The arrival of his first daughter also brought additional financial responsibilities, including school fees, making the period even more demanding.

Reflecting on those difficult years, the actor admitted that only a small group of close friends knew the extent of the financial challenges he faced behind the scenes.

Arukwe also spoke about his decision to leave the corporate sector to pursue acting full-time, describing it as a risky move that many people around him questioned.

Before entering Nollywood, he worked in corporate communications for five years and later spent another five years in the retail sector. He also secured employment with Keystone Bank but ultimately decided not to continue with the role because he believed it was not aligned with his passion.

According to him, the desire to build a career in acting outweighed the stability of corporate employment, despite the financial uncertainty that came with the decision.

He recalled that even his partner encouraged him to postpone his acting ambitions and focus on earning a steady income to support their young family.

“There was a time everybody thought I was crazy when I wanted to become a full-time actor after coming from the corporate world,” he said.

“My partner told me, ‘We need money now. This dream can wait.’”

Arukwe further revealed that he had little financial support during the difficult period, explaining that although his mother was caring, she lacked the resources to assist him significantly, while his father, whom he described as a strict disciplinarian and former Biafran soldier, believed in raising his children through tough love.

Despite the setbacks, the actor persevered in pursuing his passion for acting, a decision that has since seen him become one of Nollywood’s most recognisable faces.

His latest revelation comes after he disclosed in 2024 that he remained unemployed for about a year following his dismissal from Etisalat Nigeria in 2012, a period that tested his resilience before eventually finding success in the Nigerian film industry.

Today, Arukwe is regarded as one of Nollywood’s respected actors, with appearances in several successful productions, while balancing his career with family life alongside his wife and their two daughters.

His story has resonated with many Nigerians on social media, where fans praised his perseverance and determination, describing his journey as an example of resilience in the face of personal and financial adversity.