Veteran Nollywood actress and evangelist Eucharia Anunobi has reflected on the early stages of her life, sharing how she chose a career in the arts despite her father’s desire for her to study law.

Speaking on The Honest Bunch Podcast, monitored by MyNewsGh, Anunobi disclosed that her father had hoped she would pursue a legal career, a path often regarded by many parents as prestigious.

“My dad wanted me to study law,” she said.

However, she explained that she sensed early on that the profession did not align with her interests.

“I knew by intuition that I didn’t want to be in a structured career like that,” she said.

Anunobi noted that growing up in a strict household also influenced her personality and interests. She said her father’s strict nature limited her social life, which led her to spend much of her time reading.

“My father was very strict, so I didn’t really have friends. My friends were books,” she said.

According to her, reading opened up a new world of imagination and curiosity, exposing her to different cultures and ideas.

“I travelled through time and space through books, learning about places and people I had never seen,” she said.

That curiosity eventually guided her toward the arts, a field that would later define her career in the entertainment industry.

Before becoming widely recognised in Nollywood, Anunobi said modelling played an important role in supporting her education. She recalled that the opportunity helped her become financially independent during her time at the university.

She explained that she entered the modelling industry while studying and quickly gained attention because of her appearance and confidence on stage.

“I realised I had unique features, height and shape, and I maximised it,” she said on The Honest Bunch Podcast monitored by MyNewsGh.

The actress said she frequently worked with fashion designers and was often selected for prominent roles in runway shows.

“In many shows, I was the one who opened the runway with the most dramatic designs,” she explained.

She added that the income she earned from modelling helped her cater for her academic needs.

“I would say I was a rich student because I made money to finance my schooling,” she said.

Her modelling success later introduced her to individuals within the entertainment industry who encouraged her to pursue acting.

Anunobi also recounted a challenging moment at the beginning of her acting career when she faced resistance from a colleague over a film role.

She said the incident occurred while preparations were underway for the sequel to the popular Nollywood film Glamour Girls. According to her, she had already signed a contract to play the role of Anita when another actress questioned why she had been given the script.

“She looked at my script and asked who gave it to me,” Anunobi said.

She later discovered that the actress had approached the producer and requested that she be removed from the project.

“She told the producer to decast me and replace me with someone else,” she said.

Despite the request, the producer declined and maintained her role in the film.

Reflecting on the experience, Anunobi said it taught her a significant lesson about success and competition within the entertainment industry.

“It helped me realise that when you have a bright star, even people who already have their own success can still be envious,” she said.

Beyond her acting career, Anunobi also spoke about her views on ministry and the concept of church. She explained that she believes the work of ministry is not limited to physical church buildings.

Sharing her experience as a preacher, she said she has travelled widely to share the gospel and has spoken to audiences in various places.

“I’ve gone to different parts of the world to preach the gospel and I’ve lost count of the number of altars here in Nigeria,” she said.

According to her, many people mistakenly believe that preaching must take place within the walls of a church building.

“People think the only way to preach the gospel is to have a four-wall building called a church. No, that’s not the church,” she explained.

Anunobi said she believes the true essence of the church lies in the sharing of wisdom and knowledge that can transform people’s lives.

“The church is where illumination and wisdom from God are shared. When two or three gather and something is said that shifts their mindset and transforms their understanding, that is where God is.”

She added that learning and enlightenment themselves reflect God’s presence, describing Him as the source of wisdom and knowledge.

“God is the author of light. God is the author of wisdom and information. If you are in a place where you learn something new and your mindset changes, God is there,” she said.