Veteran actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde has revealed the real reason she, alongside A-list colleagues like Genevieve Nnaji and Ramsey Nouah, was banned by movie marketers in 2005—a push for higher industry standards.
Speaking on Yanga FM, Omotola explained the group was seen as a "bad influence" for advocating better quality in filmmaking. “Marketers banned us saying our ‘wahala’ was too much and we were a bad influence on the industry because we were pushing for standards,” she recounted.
The initial ban affected eight stars: Omotola, Genevieve Nnaji, Ramsey Nouah, Jim Iyke, Stella Damasus, Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD), Nkem Owoh, and one other. The restriction lasted longer for Omotola because she refused to attend a reconciliation meeting called by the marketers.
“One year after they released some people because they called for a reconciliation meeting and I refused to go, so they released others and extended my own,” she said.
This enforced break became a pivotal period of reinvention. Omotola explored other creative outlets, releasing her first music album, and focused on business ventures, including property investments. It also clarified her true passion.
“I like to direct than act, it was during that period I realised that acting all the time is not my passion, I will act because I really like the script,” she stated.
Her revelation sheds light on a significant but little-discussed chapter in Nollywood's history, where a clash between creative talent and the commercial distribution system led to a temporary blacklisting of its biggest stars, ultimately spurring some, like Omotola, to diversify their careers.
#Omotola #Nollywood #GenevieveNnaji #RamseyNouah #Ban #Industry #Standards #Entertainment