Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde has opened a fresh window into her life abroad and the journey that reshaped her thinking. The veteran actress said the COVID pandemic forced her to slow down, reflect, and take decisions she had postponed for years.
She explained that visiting the United States was not the same as living there, and the change tested everything she thought she understood about fame and comfort.
She said “COVID-19 changed my perspective; I realized life is short. Visiting the U.S. often wasn’t the same as living there. Moving was scary, but it was a necessary leap.”
She added that relocating forced her to embrace discipline, routine, and personal organization in ways she never experienced while navigating celebrity life in Nigeria.
Omotola described this new reality as humbling. She explained how simple tasks such as driving, auditioning or applying for small roles reminded her that nothing in life stays permanent.
Facing Nigeria’s Film Industry and Old Rumors
The actress also addressed an old rumor that she was banned in Nollywood for demanding high fees. She said “That’s false. Who bans someone for asking for fair pay?”
She explained that she fought for professionalism and insisted that crew members be treated with dignity, including proper meals and balanced working conditions. She said those actions made her unpopular with some figures who felt she was “too powerful” and outspoken.
Omotola added that the struggle for structure in Nollywood is far from over. She described the lack of proper guild systems, documentation, and legal frameworks as the industry’s biggest weakness.
She said this is the same gap that her platform, Tefes, is working to fill by promoting standards, contracts, and education within entertainment. “What we lack is proper structure; functional guilds, less politics, and more professionalism,” she said.
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