Actor and singer Gabriel Afolayan has said his decision to pursue acting was guided by a deep personal conviction rather than pressure from his family’s long-standing legacy in Nigeria’s entertainment industry.
Speaking on a televised interview, Afolayan addressed the expectations that often come with belonging to a celebrated acting family, stressing that while the legacy is significant, his journey was shaped by purpose, not inheritance.
According to him, acting goes beyond career ambition and represents a calling he has always felt destined to follow.
“Yes. I’ll put it that way. Because being inspired is one thing. Having your own inner core is another thing,” Afolayan said, noting that only a few members of his family chose acting, while others pursued entirely different paths.
He explained that his passion for acting developed independently, long before he fully understood the weight of his family name.
“I grew up strictly feeling that this is exactly what I wanted, even without having anything to do with or seeing my dad or seeing any other person… It was within me,” he said.
Afolayan added that growing up around films helped shape his intuition, but the drive to act ultimately came from within.
“There’s a way all these things get to inspire your own intuition as well. So, for me, I’ll say for a fact that it’s also what I would love to do… I think this is more of a calling than a job,” he stated.
The actor acknowledged that living up to a respected family legacy can be demanding, but said his personal dreams and sense of purpose continue to motivate him.
“One thing is the legacy. Then another thing is what spice do you have as a person?… They already know what your dad had done. So what about you? Who are you?” he said, adding that members of the family constantly strive to prove themselves while preserving the legacy.
Afolayan also noted that trying too hard to detach from a famous surname may be unnecessary, as identity and individuality reveal themselves naturally over time.
“You can’t rule out your legacy… People will still tag you to that legacy, whether you like it or not,” he said.
“But as time goes by… your own personal dream will start revealing itself. People will be able to say, okay, we know him also, even though he’s part of this legacy,” Afolayan added.
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