More than a decade before her marriage made national headlines, Regina Daniels was simply a child actor learning her craft on Nollywood film sets. It is easy to forget the little girl who once lit up screens amid the ongoing public drama between the actress and her estranged husband, Senator Ned Nwoko.
PREMIUM TIMES has documented the unfolding timeline of their marital crisis, including allegations of underage marriage, domestic tensions, drug use, and the brief detention of her brother, Samuel “Sammy West” Ojeogwu. Senator Nwoko has dismissed many of these claims as “false and malicious,” insisting that suggestions he married a minor are politically driven.
For years, public records and earlier reporting placed Regina’s birth date at 10 October 2000, a detail widely cited during their 2019 marriage when discussions centred on her being 19. As the couple’s relationship deteriorated, her age resurfaced as a recurring point of contention. Yet long before these debates, Regina was simply a child star growing up in front of millions.
Revisiting her early Nollywood work serves as a reminder of how long she has been in the public eye and how young she was when Nigerians first encountered her.
One of the films that brought her into wider recognition was My Soul Mate (Parts 1 & 2), released during Nollywood’s vibrant DVD boom. Featuring Van Vicker, Mercy Johnson, and Annie Macauley, the movie tells the story of Winifred, a young woman abandoned during pregnancy and pushed into a series of difficult choices.
Plot
When life had mistreated Winifred, she got pregnant, and her boyfriend broke up with her, even without knowing that she was pregnant. She is forced to care for herself and her pregnancy. This marked the beginning of her toils, as she had to survive in a society that sought to take advantage of the vulnerable. First, the man who invited him to help her during her pregnancy, only to use her condition to satisfy his bed, was insensitive to her pregnancy condition. When she refused to grant his desires, he sent her packing from his house; this was at the peak of her pregnancy.
Immersed in her frustration, she managed to give birth, but life hadn’t provided her with the favourable conditions to be a mother, so she connected with one Mrs Ngozi, and she was able to sell the baby.
However, after giving up her baby at birth, Winifred returns seven years later under the name Ann and takes a nanny job in the home of Mr Fred Nwokocha, played by Van Vicker. There, she meets the child she once gave up, Sophia, and slowly grows attached to her.
Surprised at the instantaneous bond between Sophia and her new Ann, because Sophia is rarely sociable with strangers. The bond between Sophia and Ann grew spontaneously tight. Fred had an uncompromising love for his daughter; his joy was seeing her form a strong relationship with her new nanny. They shared common traits and were almost like mother and daughter. This drew Fred to form an emotional attachment and chemistry with Ann.
What will happen when Fred’s wife returns, Uju returns, and wants to take away Sophia? What becomes of Winifred and Mr Fred?
Regina Daniels played Mercy Johnson’s daughter in the 2010 movie
Regina Daniels played Mercy Johnson’s daughter in the 2010 movie
A Take-home
Regina Daniels played one of the child roles as Sophia; her scenes, though brief, were striking for the confidence and ease she displayed so early in her career.
Watching her in that role is a pleasant surprise, seeing how fast the once little girl in the 2010 movie has grown not only into a wife but also a mother.
The renewed arguments about Regina’s birth year have prompted many fans to revisit her early films, comparing the child they saw in 2010 to the woman now at the centre of a national debate.
Regina’s early colleagues have also resurfaced in the current discussion.
Mercy, who acted alongside her as a child in the movie, in Regina’s recent saga, Mrs Johnson publicly expressed concern for Sammy West’s well-being. She called for his release after he was allegedly arrested on Ned Nwoko’s orders. She was seen actively searching for him, visiting police stations and speaking with officers to find his location.
Although the movie does not answer personal questions about Regina Daniel’s age, it reminds both fans and onlookers of who Regina Daniel was before adulthood and all the problems that come with it..view more