How I made my first N1,000 at 21 – Actor Segun Arinze

• The 58-year-old movie star, who shared the story behind his foray into the voice-over industry, disclosed that Irabor introduced him to voice acting

Veteran actor, Segun Arinze, has revealed how he made his first N1,000 in 1987 at the age of 21.

The thespian said he made the money from a voice over gig he got from ace and renowned broadcaster, Soni Irabor.

The 58-year-old movie star, who shared the story behind his foray into the voice-over industry, disclosed that Irabor introduced him to voice acting.

Speaking in a recent chat with Biola Bayo on the ‘TalktoB’ podcast, Arinze, who started out as a musician, fondly recollected how he was paid N1,000 for his inaugural voice-over gig back in the late 80s.

“Soni Irabor walks in someday and he was looking for voice-over artiste. There was nobody around that day then he heard me speak,” he said.

“Then he said ‘You can do the voice’ Really? I cannot, he said ‘Yes, you can and I will see what you do’. And I did the voice-over. He paid me N1000. That was 1987. N1000 for just doing (voice-over). I said this is big. Coloured TV was N500 at that time.”

He also revealed that his father was against him studying performing art at the university as he wanted him to become a lawyer.