Olaniyi Afonja, the popular Nigerian comic actor widely known as Sanyeri, has opened up about the difficult early days of his career, revealing the painful rift his passion for acting caused between him and his parents. In a recent interview, the actor also admitted his deep regret over not furthering his education.
According to Sanyeri, his budding interest in acting heavily clashed with his parents’ dreams for his future. They firmly believed that formal education was the only guaranteed path to success and strongly opposed his involvement in the movie industry.
Whenever his parents discovered that he was on a movie set or at rehearsals instead of in the classroom, the actor revealed that the consequences were often severe and public.
“There was a day Iya Niyi [my mother] came with a cane to beat me on stage,” Sanyeri recalled during the interview. “My hands and legs were tied during a performance in front of the audience and my fans.”
Despite the public humiliation and the intense pressure from his family, Sanyeri said he found it impossible to abandon the craft that brought him so much joy. The persistent conflict eventually led him to make a drastic decision; he ran away from home to live with his boss at the time so he could focus on his acting career.
However, looking back on his journey to stardom, the celebrated actor expressed remorse over the choices he made regarding his schooling.
“I regret not furthering my education,” Sanyeri admitted, acknowledging in hindsight that his parents were simply trying to protect him and secure his future.
