I was denied educational opportunities by my father due to my sex, says Eucharia Anunobi

Veteran actress Eucharia Anunobi has spoken out about her troubled relationship with her father, who vehemently opposed her educational and career aspirations due to her gender.

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During an appearance on The Honest Bunch Podcast, the Nollywood star-turned-evangelist shared how her father believed that investing in a daughter's education was futile, as she would eventually take her husband's name and not leave a lasting legacy for her family.

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Anunobi's father reportedly disapproved of her education from as early as secondary school, making his displeasure known to her.

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She recalled that her father would often question the value of educating a girl child, quoting him as saying "As a matter of fact, what is in a girl child, what legacy would it leave except that they are only going to get married.

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Anunobi explained that her father's refusal to support her education led her to pursue modelling, which ultimately helped fund her studies, as she stated "It was modelling that sustained, fuelled and financed my education.

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Despite her father's wealth, he was unwilling to invest in her education, prompting Anunobi to find alternative means to support herself.

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Anunobi also revealed that her father once locked her in her room for six months as punishment for refusing to take up an office job he had arranged for her.

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During this time, her father would slide employment letters under her door, which she would refuse to fill out, instead writing back to express her disinterest in working in an office.

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Anunobi's mother would often cry and bring her food during this period, treating her like a prisoner in her own home for six months.

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Her father's lack of support continued even when Anunobi reached university, as he refused to pay her school fees, forcing her to find ways to support herself.

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Anunobi stated that her father saw her as a "waste" and only attempted to exert control over her after she had struggled to make her university education possible, but she refused to give in.

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She used her acting jobs to sneak out and support herself, using the income to fund her education and maintain her independence.