Veteran Nigerian comic actor Afeez Oyetoro, popularly known as Saka, has opened up about the reasons behind his decision to marry at the age of 40.

Speaking in a recent interview on WithChude, the 61-year-old thespian attributed the delay in tying the knot to his personal struggles with self-confidence and financial instability during his early career in theatre.

“I did not have confidence. It took me a long time to start toasting. I got married late because of two major things. My profession and myself,” Saka said.

The comic actor explained that his journey in the performing arts was driven purely by passion, with little understanding of how to make a sustainable income from it.

He expressed regret that many of his mentors never taught him the business side of acting, leaving him financially unprepared for major life commitments like marriage.

“In my profession, which is theatre, there was no money to be made. Then, nobody recognises artistes. We were doing it out of passion. And the worst part of it is that they did not teach us how to make money from theatre. We were just acting,” he said.

Recalling how his lack of material success affected his relationships, Saka shared an experience with a woman he once considered marrying.

“When I finished, I had no car, nothing. Obviously, when you call a girl, they would look at you like there was no future for you. In fact, one of them told me one day that ‘Afeez you are wasting your life. Leave this theatre and go and do something relevant with your life’,” he said.

He added, “The one I was actually supposed to marry was demanding that I have two cars before she married me. Then something told me, Afeez, this is not your wife. So, I ran away. It was not until I got to college that I got married.”

Oyetoro, who studied Theatre Arts at both Obafemi Awolowo University and the University of Ibadan, eventually married his wife, Olaide Oyetoro, in 2003. The couple has three children.

Saka remains a beloved figure in Nollywood, renowned for his comedic flair and memorable performances across film and television. (VANGUARD)