I Would Have Focused on Music Over Nollywood – Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde
Veteran Nollywood actress and filmmaker Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde has revealed that if she had understood her career path better earlier in life, she might have stepped away from Nollywood to fully pursue music. The award-winning actress shared this during an interview on Rubbin’ Minds, where she reflected on her 32-year journey in entertainment.
Omotola said she does not regret most of her career decisions, but admitted she sometimes wishes she had given more time to music. According to her, she started her music career strongly and even gained international recognition, but the demanding nature of Nollywood made it difficult to balance both careers.
She explained that Nollywood was very intense at the time, and she got deeply involved in acting projects. This made it hard for her to continue building her music career. She said if she had the experience and understanding she has now, she would have taken a break from acting to focus fully on music.
The actress recalled that one of her albums was signed to a major international label, which opened doors for her in the United States. She was even invited to the Grammy Awards, and her music was reaching global standards. However, she returned to Nigeria to continue acting and did not have enough time to keep pushing her music career forward.
Omotola also made it clear that criticism or negative comments did not stop her from doing music. She said she understands how public opinions work and that she was not discouraged by what people said. Instead, the real issue was time and managing two demanding careers at once.
Reflecting on her long career, Omotola described her journey as one of learning and adaptation. She said that when she started acting in the 1990s, Nollywood was not as structured as it is today. Actors had to learn quickly and find ways to improve their work to meet international standards.
She credited her long-lasting success to constant reinvention while staying true to herself. According to her, she does not follow trends just to please people. Instead, she focuses on her values and personal growth, which have helped her remain relevant from the VHS era to today’s global streaming platforms.
Beyond acting, Omotola highlighted her work in music, activism, reality television, and international advocacy. She said she rarely stops to celebrate achievements, as she is always thinking about what comes next. This mindset, she explained, keeps her motivated and focused.
Speaking about Nollywood’s growth, Omotola said the industry has improved in quality and global reach but still struggles with funding. She noted that action films, in particular, require large budgets, and the lack of investment makes it difficult to produce high-quality large-scale action movies in Nigeria.
The actress also opened up about her involvement in the #EndSARS protests in 2020. She revealed that while she is used to receiving threats as a public figure, things became more serious when her children started receiving death threats. She said she was very active during the protests, both on the streets and in international advocacy, but later had to step back to protect her family.
On Nigeria’s political future, Omotola called for leaders who are courageous and selfless. She stressed that the country’s problems are not because of its people but because of poor leadership. She also expressed hope that tribal politics would not dominate future elections, urging Nigerians to focus on more important national issues.
With over 300 films to her name and several international honours, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde remains one of Africa’s most influential entertainers. Her reflections on music, Nollywood, activism, and leadership show the depth of her experience and her continued passion for growth and impact.
