Renowned Ghanaian actor and brand influencer Mikki Osei Berko, popularly known as ‘Dada Boat’, has opened up on the impact of growing up without his father.
In an interview with GhanaWeb’s Elsie Lamar on the ‘Talkertainment’ show, the veteran actor said he spent most of his life with his mother and only met his father for the first time when he was almost 40 years old.
‘Dada Boat’ explained that his father’s absence was due to some circumstances but emphasised that he holds no resentment.
“I met my dad for the first time at age 40. I say this not to discredit my dad because he had his own issues at the time. My dad is still alive, and we are very close now. We bonded so well after we met,” he shared.
The actor said his experience should rather encourage young people facing similar challenges, and urged them not to let the absence of a parent define their future.
“I say this to encourage the youth who say, ‘I never met my dad, my mom was however there, so that is the reason for my predicament. This does affect lives, but if you keep your focus right, you can survive life and build it with or without a parent,” he added.
Reflecting on the long-term effects of his father’s absence, the actor stated that it affected his ability to navigate relationships.
He said he would have been able to understand certain dynamics in his relationships if he had both parents present in his early life.
“In building relationships, sometimes you find it difficult to understand certain things you could have learned if you had seen your mom and dad practicing them while growing up,” he shared.
He referenced a common belief that children raised by single parents may struggle in their own marriages, admitting that he sometimes agrees with this perspective.
“When one parent is absent, it becomes very difficult to understand some of the mechanics in relationships,” he said.
Despite these challenges, he expressed gratitude for his journey and the lessons he has learned.
“I feel I could have been better if I had both mom and dad. You could be a better person if your parents live peacefully and love each other, it affects you in many ways. For me, I’ve not been too bad, but I think some of these things, if I had learned them growing up, I could have become better than I am,” he stated.
Watch the full interview below:
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