Eniola Yekini
Veteran Nollywood actress, Patience Ozokwor, popularly known as Mama G, has advised parents to allow their children to experience some struggles in life, saying doing so can help them develop resilience, responsibility and appreciation for what they have.
Ozokwor gave the advice during an interview with Femi Bassey TV, where she reflected on her own difficult journey to success and the lessons she learned from the challenges she faced while growing up and raising her family.
The actress cautioned parents against trying to protect their children from every hardship simply because they do not want them to experience the difficulties they themselves faced.
Ozokwor said shielding children completely from challenges could prevent them from understanding the realities of life and appreciating the effort required to achieve success.
“When you say, ‘I don’t want my children to suffer what I suffered when I was growing up,’ okay, that’s the best way to destroy your children,” she said.
“I’m not saying allow them to suffer. What I’m saying is allow them to struggle. Go through the process.”
According to her, children do not necessarily have to experience all the hardships their parents endured, but should be exposed to manageable challenges that teach them important life lessons.
She explained that children who are constantly pampered may grow up believing that comfort and material possessions come easily.
Ozokwor used her own experience as an example, recalling that her rise to success was not achieved without significant sacrifices.
The veteran actress said she went through difficult periods and had to find different ways to support herself and her family before establishing herself in the entertainment industry.
She recalled a period when she fried buns and prepared chicken to sell at movie locations and audition venues.
“There was a time I was frying buns. When I even came into the industry, I would prepare chicken, dress it well. I would prepare buns for anyone you want to buy,” she said.
She explained that she used the money from the sales to take care of transportation and other needs while pursuing opportunities in Nollywood.
The actress said those experiences taught her the importance of perseverance and helped shape her attitude towards work and success.
Ozokwor also spoke about how she raised her children, saying she ensured they understood that the family’s possessions were the result of hard work and sacrifice.
She said parents should not simply hand everything to their children without teaching them how to preserve what they inherit and work towards building something of their own.
“Don’t get this on the platter of gold. It’s not easy. Your father built three houses, four houses and you think you can balance on eating it,” she said.
The actress noted that children from wealthy families could particularly struggle to understand the effort involved in acquiring property and maintaining a comfortable lifestyle if they are never exposed to responsibility.
She said allowing children to take on responsibilities and face certain challenges can make them more appreciative and better prepared for adulthood.
Ozokwor further urged young people to embrace hard work and avoid depending entirely on their parents or spouses for their needs.
She recalled that she did not simply wait for her husband to provide everything for her, explaining that she had to work and struggle to improve her circumstances.
“I didn’t wait for my husband. I studied my husband. I knew the kind of person he was. I buttoned up and then tied my belt and I struggled,” she said.
The actress said her personal experiences taught her that success is more valuable when people understand the effort and sacrifices that went into achieving it.
She added that people who obtain everything easily may fail to appreciate its value because they never experienced the process behind acquiring it.
Ozokwor said parents should therefore strike a balance between providing for their children and allowing them to learn through experience.
“I don’t say that your children will go through all the pains you went through, but let them go through little pains. Then they will know that it is not easy to make,” she said.
She stressed that the goal should not be to deliberately make children suffer, but to ensure they develop the skills, discipline and resilience required to navigate life independently.
Ozokwor said her children now understand the value of hard work because they witnessed the sacrifices involved in improving the family’s circumstances.
“My children know the pains of making life better and that’s why they are all comfortable now, struggling on their own,” she said.
The actress ultimately urged parents to prepare their children for real-life challenges rather than trying to create a life where they never encounter difficulties, saying the lessons learned through responsible struggle can remain valuable throughout adulthood.