Veteran Nollywood actress and filmmaker Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde has opened up about her periodic breaks from acting, revealing that they are necessary for her mental health and overall well-being.
The 47-year-old screen icon made this known during an appearance on the programme “Nollywood on Radio.”
Jalade-Ekeinde, who made her film debut in 1995, recently premiered her directorial debut, “Mother’s Love,” on September 6, 2025, at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
Speaking about her vision for the Nigerian film industry, she expressed optimism about Nollywood’s growth and global influence.
“Honestly, I see a very glorious future for Nollywood,” she said.
“In 2013, I said during an interview that I believed Nollywood would become the number one in the world. People used to laugh and tell me we were still shooting rubbish, but now, it’s happening. Very soon, Nollywood will take its position as the number one film industry in the world.”
Addressing her intermittent absence from the screen, Jalade-Ekeinde explained:
“I take breaks in between for my mental health, but I still do what I can to make things better.”
The actress also called for structural reform within the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), stressing the importance of unity and professionalism within the industry.
“It starts with our guilds. I hope that AGN will unionise. The politics in AGN is appalling. We need to get ourselves together, especially for the younger generation looking up to us.”
On her directorial debut, Jalade-Ekeinde shared that “Mother’s Love” was initially created for YouTube before being refined for international audiences.
“We had to edit it to the best of our abilities to make it fit for cinemas, but right now we are in festival rounds,” she said.
With nearly three decades in the industry, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde continues to be one of Nollywood’s most influential voices — balancing creativity, advocacy, and mental wellness while shaping the future of African cinema.
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