Nollywood actor Jude Chukwuka has opened up about some of the most difficult periods of his life, revealing how the collapse of his first marriage plunged him into depression and led him to withdraw from work and social activities for eight years.
Chukwuka, who spoke during a media chat, said his marriage ended in 2011 and that the experience affected him so deeply that he became uninterested in virtually everything, including his acting career.
According to the actor, he stayed away from work for about eight years despite receiving invitations for movie roles, stressing, “I didn’t know I had entered depression. I was just living my life like I was not interested in all these things. Nothing was important to me.”
He explained that his financial situation also became difficult during the period because he was no longer working regularly.
Chukwuka said he would occasionally accept acting jobs, work for a few days, collect his payment and return home, where he largely isolated himself.
He disclosed that during the period, he resorted to excessive drinking, smoking and sexual relationships as a way of coping with his emotional state.
“One thing I actually did was turn to sex like sex was the way out. The number of women didn’t matter; I could take them all,” he said.
The actor, however, stressed that such a lifestyle was contrary to his nature, describing himself as a man who had always preferred committed relationships.
He said he was not naturally a polygamist and only married his second wife after his first marriage ended.
“I am not a polygamist by nature. I married the second wife because my first wife left me,” he explained.
Chukwuka said that before his first marriage, he was not the type to maintain multiple relationships simultaneously, explaining, “When I was dating, one must go for the other to come. I don’t do two girls at the same time. I don’t have the capacity.”
Despite the painful experiences, the actor said he has no regrets about his past and now considers himself fulfilled, particularly because of his family.
Chukwuka revealed that he has six children, three boys and three girls, and also has three grandchildren.
He said family remains one of the most important sources of happiness in his life, stressing that spending quality time with his children is more valuable to him than money.
The actor also recalled his involvement in his children’s upbringing, saying he never missed any antenatal session while his children were being born, pointing out, “As they were checking my wife, I was taking notes. I was the one who would be reminding her to take her drugs.”
He added that he deliberately plans time to be with his children and grandchildren, saying the memories created with them would remain more important than material possessions.
According to him, the simple memories of playing with one’s father are the things children eventually remember, noting, “Money is important, but the memories the children will remember, like when my daddy used to throw me up, that is what I remember.”
Speaking about his current marriage, Chukwuka said he chose his second wife because of the support and companionship she provides.
He said having someone who believes in his vision and encourages him to fulfil his commitments has contributed to his happiness.
The actor also declined to revisit the details surrounding the breakdown of his first marriage, saying he had moved beyond the painful experience.
Chukwuka further addressed the debate over whether Nollywood operates on merit, arguing that it would be unfair to single out the Nigerian film industry when the wider society also struggles with meritocracy.
“Does Nigeria run on meritocracy? Why single out Nollywood? That will not be fair to Nollywood,” he asked.
According to him, the problems associated with competence and merit are not peculiar to the entertainment industry but are reflected across different sectors of the country.
He cited instances where people with limited capacity could rise to political positions, arguing that such developments show that the challenge is broader than Nollywood.
“Don’t let us hang it on Nollywood, it is a Nigerian thing,” Chukwuka said.
