Veteran actress and filmmaker Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, fondly known as Omo Sexy, has shared how stepping away from Nigeria reshaped her outlook on life.
In a recent conversation with Punch, she explained that the COVID-19 era played a big role in her decision to finally take the bold step of relocating. She noted that visiting the United States as a star was nothing like settling there as a regular resident.
Omotola revealed that moving abroad stripped things down to reality and taught her discipline, structure, and what it means to truly be present.
According to her,
“Relocation wasn’t about running from Nigeria. I had opportunities years before but waited for the right moment. COVID made me realise how short life is. Living in the U.S. wasn’t as glamorous as visiting—it was scary at first, but it had to be done.
“Living abroad humbled me. I became famous early in Nigeria, and relocating forced me to relearn simple things—driving myself, standing in line, going for auditions. It reminded me that nothing in life is automatic.”
She also addressed claims that she once faced a ban in Nollywood for being “too expensive.”
In her words,
“That story isn’t true. Nobody gets banned for asking to be paid fairly. It had nothing to do with greed. I was among the top earners then, and some people didn’t like how outspoken I was. I always demanded proper treatment for crew members and refused to work until they were cared for. That made me a target, but I stand by it.”
Reflecting on the industry she has served for decades, Omotola highlighted Nollywood’s biggest problem—lack of structure. She shared that she pushed for professionalism from the early days of her career and was even sidelined sometimes for insisting on proper documentation and industry standards.
This passion for order and growth inspired her to create Tefes, a platform aimed at formalising the entertainment system and raising the bar for Nigerian creatives.
She added that in other countries, entertainers enjoy benefits like steady pay and pensions because of their impact on culture. Nollywood, she said, carries Nigeria’s image across the world through film, language, and music—yet the industry still struggles with structure, functional guilds, and reduced internal politics.
