Monday, March, 2 2026 - Popular Nollywood actor Olaniyi Afonja, widely known as Sanyeri, has opened up about his educational background and his early experiences in the film industry.
He spoke during an interview on Behind The Fame which aired
on Saturday, February 28, 2026.
During the programme, the comic actor talked about how he
viewed education while growing up and how his mindset has changed over time.
He explained that as a child, he believed schooling was
mainly for parents and did not fully understand that it would shape his own
future. According to him, school felt like a form of punishment in those days
because he did not see its value.
The actor admitted that he now regrets not pushing his
education further when he was younger. He said he has taken steps to return to
his studies and is waiting for the outcome of his recent efforts. He added that
learning has no age limit and that anyone can decide to continue their
education at any stage in life.
He said, “When children are in school, they think
education is for their parents, not realizing it is for their own future. Back
then, it felt like punishment.
“I regret not furthering my education. I have taken steps
to continue, and when the result comes out, I will show it. Nowadays, education
has no age limit.”
Speaking about his acting career, Sanyeri revealed that
comedy was not his starting point in the film industry. He said he performed
different types of roles before becoming known for comic characters. According
to him, he was trained by two mentors who were not comedians but played a
strong role in shaping his career.
He mentioned his first mentor as the late Prince Oluseyi
Adeoye, while his second mentor was Hakeem Alimi Ajala Jalingo. He explained
that both men guided him in his early days and helped him grow in the industry,
even though they were not known for comedy roles.
The actor also explained how he came to
be known by the name Sanyeri. He said the name did not originally belong to him
but to another stage performer. According to him, a senior colleague named
Dehinde was the first to use the name as a stage identity.
He said the original actor who played
the Sanyeri role became ill at a time when a replacement was needed. His boss
then chose him to step into the role. That opportunity later shaped his career,
and the name became attached to him.
Sanyeri further clarified that the name
has deeper roots beyond being just a stage identity. He explained that it
carries traditional praise meanings, but over time, people began to associate
it directly with him as his professional name
0 Comments