Yoruba actor Sanusi Izihaq, also referred to as Apankufor or Apa, has disclosed the reasons behind his continued career in Nollywood.
Apa recently discussed his path to becoming an actor in a conversation with his senior colleague Biola Adebayo on the Talk to B podcast.
He disclosed that he spent years working in a bakery without a place to live and with little help from his parents.
The actor added that his success first came from his work as a continuity manager rather than acting. The 30-year-old disclosed that due of his talent, his name was on practically every lip, even if his face was unknown because he worked behind the scenes.
Speaking on the challenges he has faced in Nollywood, Apa credited Ibrahim Chatta for refusing to let him give up on his acting career.
He disclosed that the ace actor had talked him out of quitting not less than thrice. In his words:
“Big shoutout to him (Ibrahim chatta), I should have left Nollywood if not for Ibrahim chatta.
Hope I’m not being too forward, God bless Ibrahim chatta. If not for him i should have left the industry…
On multiple occasions when you have older colleagues in the industry some of them begin to look down on you.
When i was still working as a continuity manager the fact is that i was more famous than some actors. Directors knew my name without my face and wondered who i was. Some directors even looked down on me.
I recall one experience when a director who had only heard about me vowed to deal with me. I had never worked with him before and I was eager to. I vowed to make his job easy. However things got a little tensed and my kind of person I despise toxic work environment, I believe in relating with love so I become emotional and I cry bitterly when things are tensed.
He (Ibrahim Chatta) has met me when I was crying on two to three occasions. Asking me what went wrong
I confided in him that I would leave the industry but he always advices against it and encourages me instead. On about 3 different occasions he urged me to come back when I already left film making. He even called me back to work on his project to ensure I don’t leave.”
