In a recent interview, renowned music video director Clarence Peters opened up about the challenges he faced growing up as the child of famous parents.
His father, Afro-Juju legend Shina Peters, and mother, Nollywood icon Clarion Chukwurah, overshadowed him with their fame, causing significant trauma.
Clarence Peters revealed that he struggled with being in the limelight and preferred to remain behind the scenes. This discomfort influenced his career decisions, leading him to pursue a career in directing instead of seeking the spotlight for himself.
The trauma from his upbringing also fueled his struggles with impostor syndrome, a condition that plagued him with self-doubt and feelings of unworthiness despite his success. This led him to initially avoid attaching his name to his work, even as his music videos gained global recognition.
“I grew up with famous parents, and some of my trauma stemmed from them being in the limelight—I didn’t like that,” he said.
Clarence Peters recounted how a close friend and colleague eventually tricked him into putting his name on his work.
“I didn’t even want to put my name on music videos, but a friend I used to edit with insisted on adding it, and there was nothing I could do about it,” he revealed.
Further reflecting on his journey, he admitted that self-doubt plagued him in his early years, making him question his talent. However, he credited his mother, Clarion Chukwurah, for believing in his abilities before he even recognized them himself.
“I didn’t think I had the personality for it. I wasn’t even sure about my talent. The only person who was certain—even before I started exhibiting it—was my mother. She firmly believed that it’s in the genes,” he added.
