Oluwatosin Enesi
Oluwashina Akanbi Peters, popularly called Sir Shina Peters met Clarion Chukwura in 1982.
At the time, Clarion Chukwura, was studying Acting and Speech in the Department of Dramatic Arts in Obafemi Awolowo University (then University of Ife) under Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka.
Born in Lagos, the actress moved to Ibadan to pursue a career in acting at fourteen. Clarion who discovered her passion for acting at an early age, was supported by her father in her interests. She however lost her dad when she was about eleven years of age.
In 1982, Clarion Chukwura was cast in Money Power, a movie by veteran filmmaker Ola Balogun. Young Clarion only got cast in the role of ‘Yemi’ in Money Power, after her performance as ‘Moji’ in Camwood on the Leaves, a play written by her professor, Wole Soyinka. Unknown to Clarion, Ola Balogun was in the audience and was taken by the young actor’s showmanship.
The role of Yemi had earlier been cast to a different actress, but by a stroke of fate, Ola Balogun shuffled the cards and Clarion ended up with the role that would change her life forever. In 1982, Clarion was an impressionable aspiring actress of 18, just crossing the corridors of adulthood.
On the set of Money Power, the movie, the paths of Clara Nneka Chukwura and Oluwashina Akanbi Peters, then 25, cross.
Sir Shina Peters was cast alongside Clara in the movie and this was the beginning of a whirlwind romance between the two.
This relationship led to the birth of their son, Clarence Abiodun Peters. Clarence was born in 1983, to his 19-year-old actress mother and his 26-year-old afro juju father. The co-stars were unmarried then and continued to remain so. The relationship between Peters and Clarion, however ended just as quickly as it began.
Our Reporter
