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.”