“How my name ‘changed’ to Segun Arinze” – Actor opens up

Veteran Nollywood actor Segun Arinze has disclosed that his real name is Segun Aina and explained how he got to be known as Arinze.

In a recent interview with Biola Bayo on the ‘TalktoB’ podcast, the 58-year-old actor said that he used the stage name Segun Arinze while pursuing a musical career.

According to him, he was born Segun Aina, but the stage moniker ‘Segun Arinze’ stayed with him after he was accidentally introduced as such during a 1991 concert.

He said: “I was also singing. In 1991, I was told someone wanted to sign me. ‘We are going to sign you on’. He came from Sony Music. So he called me and I signed the contract. He signed. And then he said ‘Okay we are going to start recording.’

“I went to Ife to do Dramatic Arts. My dad did not like the idea because he wanted me to be a lawyer. At a point in time, I thought he was not going to pay my school fees to go and read drama.

“Then the National Theatre was running an open theatre then… ‘welcome new artiste Segun Arinze’. I said ‘Excuse me sir what is this? I said why are you changing my name? The album came out – ‘Dreams’. Everywhere was ‘Segun Arinze, Segun Arinze. That was how the name got changed from Segun Aina to Segun Arinze in a nutshell.”