“I made a fortune as a Nollywood actor. It was just 2020 that I decided to start winding up,” he said. “I’ve made a determination for that to decrease so that my fight for a new Nigeria will increase. I’ve seen roles and turned them down, there’s no time anymore for it (acting),” he added.
Kenneth Okonkwo is not retiring from Nollywood
Despite taking a break from acting, Kenneth Okonkwo, a Labour Party official, assures fans that this might not be a permanent goodbye. He expressed a deep fondness for Nollywood, saying a part of him will always be connected to the industry. This leaves the door open for future involvement, perhaps through opening a film school or becoming an executive producer.
However, the 55-year-old did set a rather high bar for a return to acting. He jokingly stated that the only thing that could convince him to step back in front of the camera is “if Nigeria becomes better than America.”
He said, “The possibility is there because we have all it takes—men, materials, money. One thing that’s lacking is the power to combine, utilise, and allocate these resources optimally to produce the desired goods and services that will make us achieve our objectives.”
Before stepping away from acting, Kenneth Okonkwo established himself as a Nollywood legend. His most iconic role was that of Andy Okeke, the lead character in the 1992 classic Living in Bondage. He even reprised this role in the film’s successful 2019 sequel, Living in Bondage: Breaking Free.
Okonkwo’s filmography extends far beyond these two titles, with over 100 credits to his name. Some of his other notable films include Arusi-Iyi, Oganigwe, World Apart, and Wives on Strike.