Nollywood actress Bimbo Akintola has spoken out on the transformation of the Nigerian movie industry, saying the passion that once fueled the craft has been replaced by obsession with appearances and luxury.
Speaking in a recent interview, Akintola said the early years of Nollywood were defined by commitment and sacrifice rather than financial rewards. “The Nollywood now, the passion is gone. When we started, when we joined the industry, it was passion driven. Hunger. How much were people being paid? It wasn’t a lot of money. But the passion to just make a difference, to do something that you felt was your reason for being in,” she recalled.
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The actress noted that veterans like herself and others of her generation often worked long hours without rest or complaints. “You had people who would not sleep. In fact, who’s talking about food? Who’s talking about working 12 hours or 14 hours? You work till you finish. You work till the next day and you’re still back there to continue. It wasn’t about glamour. Our work is gritty sometimes,” Akintola said.
She observed that the new generation of Nollywood appears to be driven by fashion and beauty standards rather than content or storytelling. “It’s not just glamour, it’s gritty, it’s reality. You need to feel it. We reflect life back at the society. I think when you do stage, you still get that passion. You still see passion driven people who just want to do their best in front of the audience,” she explained.
Expressing her worry over the growing focus on physical appearance, Akintola highlighted the surge in cosmetic procedures. “Well, yeah, we’re more concerned about outfits. We’re more concerned about how we look. Which is why, generally, there’s a spike in BBL. Everybody’s BBLing. Because it’s now about looks and it’s not about content. It’s not about what you have. Looks will fade no matter,” she warned.
