How my father’s absence drove me into drugs, womanising – Bucci Franklin

Nollywood star Bucci Franklin has opened up about the struggles he faced due to the absence of a father figure in his upbringing.

Speaking on the WithChude podcast, Franklin explained that although his father was alive, he was completely absent from his life, leaving him exposed to negative choices during his early years.

He reflected on the sacrifices his mother made as a single parent, noting that while she worked hard to raise him, the absence of male guidance had lasting consequences.

“As a kid, I had my woman shege. Like I said, it is not easy to be a single parent. She had to go to work. I had mates. Not having a father figure is quite difficult,” he said.

The actor praised single mothers for their resilience, stressing however that boys particularly need a father figure. “Maximum respect to other women out there taking care of their children by themselves.

You need a man in your life. If you do not want to get married, you need a brother to take your life. You just need a father figure for those boys.

“It is easy for girls as a mother. But for a boy, an African boy, a Nigerian boy, an Igbo boy… it is not easy.”

Franklin urged young people to seek out positive male role models, warning against falling into destructive behaviour. 

“As a teenager listening right now, look for a role model, not for himself, the society, and I do not mean thieves, but someone of a father figure. 

The man that I am today, and that I would continue to be, is because of Mrs Joy.”

Recounting his teenage years, the actor admitted to experimenting with alcohol, smoking, and womanising, which he said were direct consequences of lacking proper direction.

 “(I was into) girls. Drugs. And by drugs, I am saying cigarettes. Drinking beer at a very young age. Coming back completely wasted,” he revealed.

Franklin said that while he has since reconciled with his father, the scars of his absence remain. “My dad is good, but he was not in the picture. Now I see him for the man that he is, not for the man that he was. And I have also forgiven him. Nobody is perfect. I do not pray to be such a man, but maybe I would have done worse if I were in his shoes.

“He never told me (why he was absent). Frankly enough, I do not care. I just honour him for the human being that he is. Thank you for not using a condom or jerking me off.

“As a teenager, I did not want to hear anything about him. I went to school and came out. I started working.”