All lovers of Nollywood movies probably knows John Okafor a.k.a Mr. Ibu as he has brought smiles to the faces of many as a result of his talents. He is not just a popular Nollywood movie star but also a very talented comedian. He has a way of making his fans glued to the TV.  But guess what Mr. Ibu was before he became a Nollywood star.

A boxer and a karate trainer. I know you could never for the life of you imagine him in those roles. Yea! That’s right. But this is no movie, it is real life and the life of Mr. Ibu, he said this to Punch during an interview. He said the actor reveals that he used to be a boxer and a Karate practitioner. Admitting that only a few people are aware of this aspect of his personal history, he says, “I practised Shotokan Karate for 16 years and I was a member of the Karate Federation of Nigeria. I happen to be the first instructor that was teaching Karate in federal government colleges in Nigeria.”

Reflecting on his career, Okafor says he has been publicly embarrassed by fans at different times and in several places. “I quickly forgive them because I was the one that looked for trouble in the first place. On one occasion, somebody came to me and said, ‘Ibu, because of what your jokes have done to me and my family, I promised God that anywhere I meet you, I would slap your face.’ I told him them to go ahead. Then he slapped me so hard that I couldn’t see clearly for two hours,” He says.

That’s really funny if you ask us.