I Was Named After An Animal As My Mum Was Bewitched - Veteran Actor Antar Laniyan Talks About His Early Life

Veteran Nollywood actor Antar Laniyan in a new interview with City People revealed the reason behind his name, 'Antar' and how he met his wife. Read it all below.


"I was born here in Lagos and I remember mum said I stayed in the womb for 18 months, because she got pregnant for my father when he was in Oduduwa College. There was another lady who was interested in my father but according to my dad, he was also not aware that the lady was in love with him. My mother was probably faster than her and she didn’t take it easy with her. According to my mother, she almost lost her life in the process. In those days, you won’t sit and be watching a pregnant woman carry a pregnancy for 18th months, they have to go out for solution. It was during this finding that my dad was told there is somebody they have to apologize to. Along the line, they got the person and after many apologies, she explained my mum’s offence. Then, she recommended that they should look for an animal called Antar (Goanna) to prepare concoction. Immediately my mum ate it, I was delivered.
When I look at the 4 boys she had, she treats me specially. She said she will not call me any other name but that Antar. According to her, I know what I saw, I know what I went through before I had you."

When he was asked how he met his wife, he said;

"That is another aspect of Antar, I am a very shy person. In those days, I couldn’t ask women out. I and Araosan were sitting together at the National Theater Lagos and I saw a lady going in to watch a film and I told Araosan that this babe is beautiful, he said you that you don’t know how to toast, go and sit down. I never knew, he just stood up and approached her on my behalf and when he came back, he said the babe you said you want is very tough.
She said even though you are Antar Laniyan the star, can’t you come by yourself. I saw that as a challenge and I walked up to her when she finished watching the film. I told her that you said can’t I come myself? She said ,yes because if you are man enough, you should walk up to a woman and ask her out, not that you will send a messenger. That was all. She later found out that I am a shy person."