How Losing Dad At 11 Affected Me – World-Famus Actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor Speaks

British actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor, has recounted his experience having lost his father, Arinze, in a car crash, when he was 11.

The actor, who grew up in London after his family fled Nigeria in the 1960s Biafran war, lost his father when they both came to his home country for a wedding.

Ejiofor and his father were driving along the motorway when a truck hit the car they were in; an accident that left him with broken bones and his father, dead.

In an interview with GQ Magazine, published on Monday, the actor stated that losing one’s parent at a young age affects how such a person views life.

Speaking about his experience, Ejiofor said, “When you lose a parent young, it has a profound effect on the way you view life. At an early age, you realise the value of some things and the preciousness of life itself, which is something most people acquire later on.

“Certain fears or neuroses you definitely carry. Some are justified but you do lose a lot of ideas about knowledge.”

The actor noted that he was lucky to have overcome some of his fears. 

“I have been lucky enough to break some of the fears I had – and when you do, you recognise your genuine path and personality in a richer, deeper way,” Ejiofor said.