Why I use my husband’s surname instead of fancy name – Patience Ozokwor

Nollywood veteran, Patience Ozokwor has revealed why she maintained her husband’s family name as surname instead his personal name which is fancier.

In an interview she granted recently, Ozokwor noted that she rejected suggestions to have a change of name to her husband’s first name, Edmund.

She narrated, “And some people came and said, ‘You don’t even need to answer Patience Ozokwor again. Answer your husband’s first name Edmund; Patience Edmund.’

“I said, ‘No, because in Igbo land you’re not just married by one man, you’re married by a family. I don’t know about other tribes.

“So my husband’s people, their name is Ozokwor. When you mention Ozokwor in any part of this world, people who know the Ozokwors would say ‘I know where she comes from’.”

She also spoke on how she rejected the title of “Liz Benson of Enugu” when she started her career.

“I don’t know how it started, all I know was that when I started [my acting career] and people started recognising this woman from Enugu.

“So, there was a time I came to Lagos for a shoot and people started saying, ‘That’s her, this woman from Enugu.’ They said, ‘You’re the Liz Benson’ of Enugu.’

“I said, ‘No, with all due respect, I don’t want to be like Liz Benson, I want to be myself. I am Patience Ozokwor of Enugu’,” she recalled.