Actor Segun Arinze has once again clarified his state of origin, confirming that he is from Lagos State but has Igbo roots through his mother.
The 59-year-old made the clarification during an interview with QED.ng publisher Olumide Iyanda, who pointed out that some Nigerians do not believe he is a Lagosian by birth.
Responding, Segun said, “I’m from Badagry. My father is Yoruba, my mother Igbo. My great-great-great-grandfather all married Igbos. I was born in Onitsha and I was brought back to Lagos. I’m from Badagry. My father also had an Igbo name.”
He continued, “You know how a mother gives a name just like the father does? So, my mom said let me name my son Arinze, Arinzechukwu. I’ve always been Segun Aina, later I started adding the Padonu, so it was Segun Aina Padonu.”
The Silent Night star also shared how he came to be known by the name “Segun Arinze,” explaining that it is a fallout of his career as a musician.
“When Premier Music was to release that album that year, Dean Disi told me that if I use Segun Aina, I would sound like a Fuji artiste or Juju artiste. So, I was asked, ‘Do you have any other name?’ I started giving other names but he said, ‘No no no.’
“So, I said my name is Arinze, he didn’t even make anything out of it. I didn’t know that he had already captured it. So, he said, ‘Go, I will sort it out.’
“I had done my photoshoot and everything and next thing I saw in Punch newspaper, Vanguard and others, ‘Premier Music signs Segun Arinze’ and that was how it got stuck.”
Segun Arinze signed to Premier Records (formerly Premier Music) in the early 1990s during the peak of his music career.
He later parted ways with the label in the late 1990s due to a shift in focus to acting and voiceover work.
Some of the songs he is known for include ‘Nkenke,’ ‘Better Days,’ ‘Just for You,’ ‘Nwanyi Nganga’ and ‘Dreams Come True’ featuring Ese Agese.
