Popularly called Mama G, Patience Ozokwor is a Nigerian actress that has featured in over 200 Nollywood movies.
The actress is well respected as one of Nollywood’s finest actresses and she has won several awards over the last few years.
Recently, Ozokwor revealed that she had become born again as a result she had to through some major changes in her personal life. The actress removed her signature dreadlocks and disposed her jewelries. She also dropped her popular name, Mama G which she referred to as a worldly tag. The actress also took a break from acting in order to focus her spiritual life and deepen her relationship with God.
In this post, we take a look at this fantastic actress, her life, movies as well as her new found faith.
Early Life
The actress was born on the 25th of March 1958. She was born in the village of Amaobo, Ngwo in Enugu. But she grew up in Lagos where she attended the Abimbola Gibson Memorial School in Lagos.
Marriage
Patience Ozokwor got married at the age of 19. The actress revealed in an interview that it was not her decision to get married that early but her mother wanted her married as soon as possible because she was from a polygamous home.
According to her, her early marriage was based on competition from the other wives and decision for her mother to have some bragging right. On the part of the actress, she didn’t see anything wrong with the decision as she was quite young and naïve at that time. Also, she had many suitors at that time so it wasn’t such a difficult decision to make.
But the actress revealed that she didn’t enjoy her marriage but she had to stay on because her parents would be disappointed if she left.
Awards
The actress has won several awards, some of which include the Best Supporting Actress award at the 10th Africa Movie Academy Awards. She was also one of the 100 Nigerians honoured by the government to celebrate the amalgamation of the northern and southern protectorates in 1914.
Roles
Mama G is known to play the role of a bad woman such as being a wicked mother-in-law or wicked step mother. According to her, she plays the role with so much passion so that it is almost believable.
Mama G revealed that she earns an average of N1.5 million a week as an actress.
Religion
Mama G recently became born again Christian and she has become a preacher of the gospel. According to her, she had to stop putting on make-up, jewelry and trousers based on her encounter with God. The actress has also dropped her popular name, Mama G as she calls it a worldly appellation.
She began acting during her school days when she played the role of Hamlet in the Shakespeare’s Classic Drama. As her result of her fantastic acting, she began travelling with her school’s acting group for the show.
Career
Ozokwor started out as a teacher. She enrolled in a teacher’s training course at the Women’s Training College and after her education she taught for a few years before venturing into broadcasting. She was a radio announcer and newscaster until the company where she worked closed down.
She moved to another media house where she was also involved in acting in radio dramas.
Ozokwor was also involved in setting up a NGO which was in the form of a school to help young female school dropouts. Her students were taught skin and hair care and she was able to help them start their businesses.
Her project got her recognized by the Government in her state and she ended up with a political appointment as the Special Assistant to the wife of the Mayor of the Local Government. She held this position for four years but left afterwards to take care of her husband whose health was failing at that time.
After her husband’s death, Ozokwor returned to school where she learnt Graphic Arts and Mass Communication.
But this was a tough period in her life as she battled to raise her children as a single mother. She had to bake cakes and do odd jobs to make ends meet.
Her school work was also suffering the strain but she eventually got her breakthrough when she was invited to do a commercial by a comedian. The comedian was very impressed with her acting skills as a result; she was handpicked to feature in the NTA soap opera entitled Someone Cares, a program about rural women.
Doors began to open for her in acting as she began auditioning for roles. She got a few roles but the movie that shot her to limelight was Authority which was released in 1999.
Ozokwor is particular know for her role as a mother in Nollywood movies. According to the actress, the only actors that she hasn’t played the role of mother to are Olu Jacobs and Pete Edochie.
Family
Ozokwor’s husband passed away several years after a long battle with an undisclosed ailment. He was a mechanical engineer working as a civil servant with the State Government in Enugu.
In 2010, one of Ozokwor’s daughter, Chioma Nnenna Lameya Ozokwor got married in 2010 to her fiance, Chielozona Ugwu in Ani in Enugu. The church wedding took place at the Dominion City Church in New Haven, Enugu.
Ozokwor’s first son Chuka was recently involved in a legal battle with his mother over his late father’s inheritance. According to reports, the actress has had disagreement with Chuka over his wife. Interestingly she was the one that brought them together.
The actress has another son, Nduka who is a footballer. He got married a few years ago. He was the captain of the Nigerian under-23 football team at a time. His football career began in Enugu where he played for Enugu Rangers. Nduka later joined OGC Nice in France where he played for 2 years. He moved back to Nigeria and played for his old side, Enugu Ranger before joining Boluspor, a TFF first league side.
Ozokwor’s last son, Uchendu has featured with her in some Nollywood movies. One of such is Why Marry? The movie was directed by Nelson Spyk and premiered in London.