Award-winning British-Nigerian actor David Oyelowo has shared a humorous story from his teenage years, revealing how he secretly understood everything his classmates said while attending a boarding school in Nigeria.
Speaking during an interview, Oyelowo explained that although he grew up speaking Yoruba fluently, he deliberately concealed that fact when he enrolled in the school. His foreign accent led many students to assume he could not understand the language.
According to the actor, the misconception worked in his favour, as classmates freely spoke around him in Yoruba without realizing he understood every conversation. He described the experience as being “like the invisible man.”
Oyelowo recalled overhearing numerous discussions about himself, including conversations involving girls who talked about their feelings for him. He said some would claim they were not interested in him while expressing the opposite in Yoruba.
The actor jokingly admitted that the situation created some unexpected opportunities, including dating twins at the same time an anecdote that left his interviewer both surprised and amused. He also revealed that he often heard classmates gossiping or making negative comments about him in the dormitory but never exposed his secret.
After keeping up the act for two years, Oyelowo said he finally revealed the truth on his last day at the school. He went around speaking Yoruba to his classmates, leaving many stunned to discover that he had understood their conversations all along. Recalling their reactions, the actor laughed and said the look on their faces was unforgettable.
Elijah Adeyemi
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