Nollywood actor Bucci Franklin has shared how the absence of a father shaped his upbringing and life choices.
In a recent appearance on the WithChude podcast, Franklin revealed that although his father was alive, he was not present in his life. This absence, he said, made him vulnerable to negative influences during his formative years.
Franklin paid tribute to his mother for her resilience as a single parent, expressing deep respect for all women raising children on their own. At the same time, he emphasized the vital role a male figure plays in the upbringing of boys.
He said: “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.”
“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,” he added.
Franklin also advised teenagers to seek out positive role models, emphasizing the difference a father figure can make. “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,” he said.
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Reflecting on his adolescence, Franklin admitted that lacking a father led him to fall in with the wrong crowd. He confessed to underage drinking, smoking, and risky behavior with girls, often returning home inebriated.
He stated: “(I was into) girls. Drugs. And by drugs, I am saying cigarettes. Drinking beer at a very young age. Coming back completely wasted.”
Despite his father’s absence, Franklin expressed forgiveness and understanding. “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 reflected.
“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.”
Franklin’s candid discussion sheds light on the challenges of growing up without a father and the importance of strong role models in shaping young lives.
