Bucci Franklin opens up on painful father absence

Bucci Franklin opens up about growing up without a father figure, emotional struggles, and how his mother shaped his life in a heartfelt interview

Bucci Franklin has emotionally opened up about growing up without an active father figure, revealing how the absence affected his teenage years and personal development.

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In a candid interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, posted on Sunday via YouTube, the Nollywood actor admitted that while his father was alive, he was completely absent during his upbringing—a void that left lasting emotional scars.

“Not having a father figure is quite difficult,” Franklin said.
“As a kid, I had my woman shege. My mum had to go to work. Maximum respect to women out there taking care of their children by themselves.”

With no male role model around, Bucci Franklin said he fell into the wrong crowd in his teenage years, engaging in reckless behaviour.

“I was into girls, drugs—by drugs, I mean cigarettes. Drinking beer at a very young age. Coming back home completely wasted,” he revealed.

The actor stressed the importance of a male presence for boys in particular, stating that even if a woman chooses not to marry, a brother or close male relative should step in as a father figure.

Despite the pain, Franklin said he has made peace with his father’s absence, choosing to forgive and see him for who he is today, not the man he wasn’t.

“My dad is good, but he was not in the picture. I see him now for the man he is, not the man he was. I have forgiven him,” he said.
“Nobody is perfect. I just honour him for the human being that he is. Thank you for not using a condom or jerking me off.”

His blunt but honest reflection sparked emotional responses from viewers, many of whom praised his vulnerability.

Throughout the interview, Bucci Franklin continually paid tribute to his mother, Mrs Joy, for her strength and sacrifices as a single parent.

“The man that I am today, and that I would continue to be, is because of Mrs Joy,” he said.

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He concluded by encouraging young people—especially boys from single-parent homes—to seek positive male role models and not fall into self-destructive patterns.

David Okere