In a captivating episode of Africa and Everywhere Conversations, host Oge Elumelu welcomed her auntie and Nigerian entertainment icon, Omoni Oboli—a multi-talented actress, producer, director, author, and perfumer. Their conversation traced Omoni’s journey from childhood passion to global recognition, revealing the resilience, faith, and strategy behind her success.
A Passion Ignited Early
Omoni Oboli’s love for storytelling began in childhood. She was constantly involved in school plays, church performances, and drama clubs. By secondary school, she was already producing and directing—though she didn’t realize it at the time.
“I didn’t know I was producing and directing plays,” she explained. “I just knew I had to write it, get the props, and organize the rehearsals.”
Her involvement in literary and debate clubs, as well as the French club, helped shape her early understanding of production, scripting, and performance. She participated in national competitions and often found herself creating plays in both English and French.
From Wakapas to Lead Roles
Her entry into Nollywood came during a university break when friends returning from Lagos told her about being on movie sets. Eager to try, she joined them and landed her first role as a house help in a film starring Liz Benson, opposite Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD).
“That moment felt like I made it,” she recalls.
She later secured lead roles but faced a major challenge—balancing acting with her education. A foreign languages student at the University of Benin, she struggled to maintain grades while pursuing acting opportunities.
“I realized something had to give,” she said. “I didn’t want to drop out, so I focused on school.”
She even spent a year abroad in Togo as part of her program, which paused her acting career. After graduation, she married and moved to the UK—keeping her dream alive, but temporarily out of reach.
A Decade Later: The Return
Ten years later, Omoni returned to Nigeria and reentered an industry that had changed significantly. The challenge wasn’t just competition—it was being the “new girl.”
“No one was looking for a new girl,” she said. “Everyone already had their place.”
But persistence paid off. Her performance in The Figurine and An Uncle’s Wife in Canada reignited her career. Yet, Omoni still felt unsatisfied with the way her stories were interpreted on screen.
“I wrote stories in pictures,” she explained. “But when someone else directed them, they didn’t look like what I imagined.”
The Shift to Producing and Directing
Omoni realized that if she wanted her stories to carry her voice, she had to take control. But at the time, female directors were rare in Nollywood.
“It was a scary thought,” she admitted. “There were no established female directors to look up to.”
Determined, she shadowed directors on set, learning and observing. She later enrolled in a filmmaking course at the New York Film Academy and began pursuing her own projects.
The problem wasn’t creativity—it was funding.
“It took four years of knocking on doors,” she said. “No one was willing to give money to a rookie filmmaker.”
She reached out to brands for sponsorship and product placement, but the journey was long and full of rejections. Eventually, she realized the missing element was action.
“I had been talking about the project for four years,” she admitted. “So I decided to start shooting—even without full funding.”
The bold move paid off. Once production began, money began to follow.
The Power of Showing Up
Omoni believes the most important strategy for any creative is consistency.
“Show up every day,” she urged. “Even if you don’t have money, show up.”
She emphasized the importance of social media as a free platform for visibility. For aspiring actors and producers, she said:
“Your phone is powerful. You can create content and show the world what you can do.”
The Making of ‘Love in Every Word’
Omoni’s film Love in Every Word has amassed over 27 million views, and its success has been a defining moment in her career. She explained how the project evolved from script to screen—and how the production faced immense challenges.
The film’s first day of shooting was disrupted when a neighbor attempted suicide, forcing the crew to halt production. The lead actress became emotionally distressed and fell ill, causing a two-week delay.
Then, the house they were using for the shoot was repainted and rented out, forcing the team to rewrite scenes and reorganize locations.
“It was stressful,” she admitted. “We had a spreadsheet just to adjust the story.”
Despite the obstacles, Omoni believes the film’s success was a result of divine favor.
“God decided to favor us,” she said. “Everything aligned.”
Why YouTube?
Omoni chose YouTube as her primary platform because it offers global access without subscription barriers. She explained:
“YouTube is truly global. Anyone with a smartphone can watch.”
While acknowledging piracy as a major issue, she emphasized that piracy affects all platforms—cinema included.
“Digital pirates are everywhere,” she said. “You can’t fight it personally.”
Instead, she chooses to focus on her craft and trust that her work will continue to resonate.
French Channel: Expanding the Audience
Omoni launched a French channel to include her francophone audience—many of whom were already watching her films in English with subtitles.
“It felt like they were being marginalized,” she said. “So we created a French channel.”
The French-dubbed content has been well received and continues to grow.
Faith as the Foundation
Omoni’s faith remains central to her success. She believes her achievements are not solely based on talent or hard work, but on divine favor.
“I’m not the hardest worker,” she confessed. “But God decided to show mercy.”
She sees her success as a reminder that consistency and faith can open doors, even when the path seems uncertain.
The Future of Nollywood
When asked about Nollywood’s trajectory, Omoni believes cinema will continue to thrive alongside streaming platforms and digital content.
“Cinema is a culture,” she said. “People love watching films together.”
She also predicted that Nollywood will become more global through major collaborations, similar to what has happened in the music industry.
