I Grew Up in Festac, That’s Where All the Igbo People Are; That’s Why I Can’t Speak Yoruba- Arukwe

Nollywood actor Uzor Arukwe has explained why he cannot speak Yoruba fluently despite growing up in Lagos, attributing his limited proficiency in the language to his upbringing in Festac Town, where he said most of his neighbors were Igbo.

Arukwe made this known during an interview on CreativiTea with Linda on Thursday, October 29, 2026, while discussing his childhood, cultural background and the environment in which he was raised.

During the conversation, the host suggested that the actor grew up in Surulere, Lagos, but Arukwe quickly clarified that he was raised in Festac instead. He explained that the area had a strong Igbo presence, with most of his neighbours belonging to the ethnic group.

According to the actor, growing up in an environment where he was predominantly surrounded by Igbo people meant that he had limited exposure to Yoruba speakers during his formative years. He noted that although he could understand the language to some extent, he could not speak it fluently.

Arukwe further explained that he could hardly remember having Yoruba neighbours while growing up in Festac, describing the area as a community with a significant concentration of Igbo residents.

The actor’s remarks came as he shared details about his upbringing in Lagos, offering insight into how the cultural and linguistic environment of his childhood influenced his ability to speak Yoruba.

Speaking during the interview, Arukwe said, “I grew up in Festac. That’s where all the Igbo people are. That’s why I can’t speak Yoruba. I understand to some extent. But yes, I grew up in Festac, and all my neighbours have always been Igbos.”

His explanation highlighted the influence of one’s immediate environment on language acquisition, particularly in a culturally diverse city such as Lagos, where residents from different ethnic backgrounds live and interact across various communities.

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