How I left stardom to mop floors in UK because of my children – Sola Sobowale

Nollywood thespian, Sola Sobowale, has narrated 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 ace actress 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.

She 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.

The film star 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.

She said, “I went back to England and noticed the kids lack motherly touch. Then I moved to England and forgot stardom.

“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 seven 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.”

Sobowale 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.

“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 three years ends up to be 6 years.

“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,” she added.