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John Okafor, Mr Ibu’s Life Story: I Worked As An Hair Dresser, Firewood Seller To Feed My Family
Nov 26, 2012 – John Okafor, Mr Ibu’s Life Story: I Worked As An Hair Dresser, Firewood Seller To Feed My Family
Nollywood actor John Okafor, Mr Ibu recently shares a heartfelt story of his life. naijagists.com
The comic actor who said his family was the poorest in his village said he went through some very tough times while growing up.
In this heart-felt story, he said he worked as an hair dresser and a firewood seller to provide for his poor siblings.
In his own words below:
Some are born great while some are born slave. For this comic actor, John Okafor, he said that he was not in anyway born with even a spoon. In an interview recently, he said before he became a popular person, he had suffered.
The big part of his suffering was attributed to the background he came out from as he said that his family was the poorest in his hometown in Enugu State. ‘’When I lost my father, breeze pulled down our house and we became tenants in our own village.
That was Umunekwu Village in Eziokwe, NKanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State. We were eight in number; five men and three women. We were given a room in our maternal home; there we all slept at night as if we were in a cell. One leg here, the other leg there! (laughs),’’ he said.
He went further into how he grew up, ‘’once you are poor you are poor. You will be forced to see so many things from another angle. My father stopped training me when I was still very small. He died in 1975.
That was how we became fathers to each other and to our mum. I was training myself in secondary school. I was doing all sorts of odd jobs. I sold fire wood, I did hair dressing, I was assembling wooden crates of minerals, I was involved in the snapping of wait-and-take pictures;
I was a butcher; if you want to kill a goat, cow, pig, etc, I would do it for you, cut it to your desired sizes, and take it to your place. That was how I was surviving. It was from those petty jobs that I got money to see myself through school. My elder brother later came in when he began earning money.
When I was picking up my admission form to study Mass Communication at the Institute of Management and Technology, IMT, Enugu, my brother told me to choose part time, because it was going to be hard if I should enter full time. There was no time for rest because it was struggle all through; struggle to go to school and struggle to feed ourselves and our mum.
We lost two members of the family along the way. My brother, I had a poverty-ridden growing up experience but today, I give all thanks to God for His mercies.’’
Marvy
January 30, 2013 at 8:20 AM
Life they say is not an easy going, u ve laboured, is now time for u to reap d fruit of ur labour @ Mr Ibu
Miriam Chidinma Okonkwo
February 9, 2013 at 8:40 PM
My gud friend Mr. Ibu, i really thank God 4 ur life n u v a gud hrt. No gr8t man witout a sorrowful story. I believe in destiny. It is well…
charity
February 16, 2013 at 10:17 AM
I Like your acting.
BONITO EMENIKE NDUKA
February 27, 2013 at 3:49 PM
Mr ibu.u know that u was born for a purpose,and that is to bring glory and honour to your people.i mr bonito emenike nduka pray that healing,restoration and protection be whit u in jesus name amen.
Nwodom mmaduabuchi/ fashion boy
March 7, 2013 at 5:26 PM
That’s life my brother, remember the saying, suffer before pleasure.
Solomon seedorf
March 15, 2013 at 12:58 PM
In all condition we give tnx 2 GOD
rims
March 24, 2013 at 1:40 PM
its a phase in life now its history i only admire your handsome
Arthur
April 15, 2013 at 11:04 AM
All the world a stage we are here 4 a purpose that is struggle towards actualising ur purpose on earth am hapi 4 u
Prince ebuka
May 1, 2013 at 6:45 AM
My man notin good coms in esy tenk God 4 ur lyf
mimie rossete
May 1, 2013 at 3:33 PM
wow thank God because u managed to pull up and today you are living a better life n im sure most of us can learn something from you.
Kamau james
May 2, 2013 at 3:02 PM
Never doubt God power trust in Him and He wil continuedoing many great thing to u I have seen Him in my life.
Shupikai
May 4, 2013 at 7:57 PM
I am humbled to have mr Ibu as my role model, he inspires me a lot.God bless you
Trailb De Great
May 14, 2013 at 10:51 PM
Wow! that’s so interesting men, thank God you made it, inspite of odds.
Ifeanyi ochiogu stanley
May 15, 2013 at 11:05 AM
Bro.am speechless,,dnt knw wat 2 say bt tanks 2 God….u made it @last.God@ bless u……d greatess day in my life is 2 see and speak wit u one on one……we got issues 2 discuss….remain bless
Daniel
May 23, 2013 at 10:49 AM
Mir John okafor….. We thank God 4ur life levin 2dy” bcz u r nw a blessed man!!
Odey Gabriel Eje
June 5, 2013 at 1:32 PM
Life is full of History my Brother because if they is no event to talk on about Life then your present can’t be determined……I wish you more luck
Nnamani cyndy
June 7, 2013 at 9:31 PM
My dear no condition is permanent
M G Paki
June 16, 2013 at 2:10 PM
Heartfelt bt thank God
Arrah Oben Vanisa
June 27, 2013 at 8:22 PM
see i understand what u ve gone through but the end is always what counts because the fact that you are bone poor those not mean you have to die poor.if u have to take a closer look only those that are bone poor no how to make it in life and also survive well. u are my best comedian especially in the film YORI YORI
erik dockers fonchenalla
July 6, 2013 at 9:21 PM
Give more thanks to GOD my bother,he is great.You’are a real man
Sanpha Ayanmo'o Koroma
July 6, 2013 at 10:12 PM
Mr ibu is my favorite comidy in Africa ,he suffer a lot but God has done the best for him
Marcus Ubong
August 5, 2013 at 1:08 PM
In every misery of life,there always away out its all depends on the determiner.i lov ur way mr Ibu.
goodluck akpuze
August 6, 2013 at 10:07 PM
Yeah u are amn is not easy at all well u are really trying in your movies I buy them alot in the market u are very good on it keep it on u are not longer a child I love to join u in your movies please how can I join u my done
stuff
August 7, 2013 at 9:37 AM
yea is true my bros,life is a tragedy to d poor,bt to d rich is a comedy,but thank God for whom u are today!
chizoba njoku
August 13, 2013 at 8:26 PM
Mai broda poverty is not an option @all tank God foor ur life o u are mai mentor, ℓ̊ am de upcoming u
Victor N Egede
August 20, 2013 at 10:02 AM
Mr Ibu you make my day full of laughing and smiling each time I watch and remember your role in a movie, I had almost similar experience but God is gradually remembering me, when am through with my movie academy I will be featuring you in some of my movie.
Ikramu Masari
August 23, 2013 at 11:09 PM
Yea Mr. Ibu that’s how life is. No one is up all the time and no one will down 4ever.
Ikramu Masari
August 23, 2013 at 11:10 PM
Yea Mr. Ibu that’s how life is. No
one is up all the time and no one
will be down 4ever.
DAVID MARCUS
August 24, 2013 at 5:54 PM
Sir it is through,dat b4 u bcom some in life u wil passthrough so many pains,u wil suffer to get to d top.if u were dat type dat do not want to suffer u might have ended up wit a kind of drunkard life so it is gud to suffer to get to d top dan to feel free nd end up wit poor.
isah sule
August 29, 2013 at 10:48 PM
my broda e no easy o. that’s what am passing tru here. The lord is my strength.
isah sule
August 29, 2013 at 10:50 PM
the lord is my strength
Steven alobo
September 1, 2013 at 9:41 PM
Na so life be my broda suffa b4 pleasure i can act like u i need help
Steven alobo
September 1, 2013 at 9:44 PM
Enjoy urself na bcos d lord has remember u
solomon ise
September 5, 2013 at 10:22 PM
God says i will make a way for u where der seems to b no way,also dat he wil fight ur battle mr ibu, God has fought ur battle,Exo.fourteen verse fouteen.
P-collins Iruh
September 22, 2013 at 10:57 PM
Thanks to God that you have lived to remember your by-gone pains. No venture no success they say. Let the pass be passed mentor and focus on the future.
john chizoba vincent
October 7, 2013 at 8:32 PM
such is life. Every one has a story to tell in one way or the other but it is not always good to dwell in the past but it will keep away from the future
john chizoba vincent
October 7, 2013 at 8:34 PM
when things are bad with you people don’t really know untill you make
Onyia Anthony
November 21, 2013 at 10:17 AM
bro just tnk God dat u made it at d end of d day bcos dat is how life is,u must suffer b4 u can enjoy.
OLIVIA NKALA
November 26, 2013 at 12:53 PM
Big up MR HERO,,,YOU ARE MY HERO,,,TO GOD BE THE GLORY,,,HE HAS A WAYS FOR EVERYONE,,,
David kwawo
April 14, 2014 at 10:01 PM
D same bro,nice jokes.
Treasure
April 15, 2014 at 12:08 PM
tank God 4 ur patient…diaz a sayn dat says dat a patient dog eatz d fatest bone wich ur into nw… God z ur strength
Akolo paul ovey
August 13, 2014 at 10:10 PM
Grace isn’t a little prayer u chant b4 receiving a meal.It’s a way 2 live.MR IBU,keep urselve in God’s lv,cuz ths s wht d lv of God means be honest in all thngs.
stuart williams
April 2, 2015 at 4:29 PM
ibu jst tell me evryday u thank da ALMIGHTY GOD b’se wizout da LORD u wl’d have been where u are. GLORY BE TO DA LORD
stuart williams
April 2, 2015 at 4:47 PM
otherwise i love ure movies so so so much your very funny, am a Ugandan
Michael Mark akoegbu
September 10, 2015 at 4:34 PM
Ur story motivate me atleast frm story to glory. I have a dream dt one day by da Grace of God i will act with u. Am an up coming actor in Kaduna.
Sunday
November 2, 2015 at 11:33 AM
Dats life my broda
Dan Sunny Agene
April 27, 2016 at 4:55 PM
Infact, I thank God for your life and you and your family shall remain bless. (AMEN).
Bake Benjamin
December 22, 2016 at 1:31 PM
To be man is not a day job,u have to some challenge.
Chijioke amakeze
January 10, 2017 at 1:40 PM
That’s life. It’s also a lesson for everyone.patient is the key to success.
Blessed
May 21, 2017 at 6:08 PM
I so much appreciate the lord who have open his windows of heavens 4 u nd ur family,may his name be praise forever