Nollywood veteran Bimbo Akintola has expressed concern over what she describes as a significant decline in passion within Nigeria’s film industry. In a recent interview, the award-winning actress said the industry has moved from being creativity-driven to focusing heavily on glamour and materialism.
Akintola recalled the early days of Nollywood, when actors worked tirelessly without prioritizing sleep or food, motivated purely by the desire to make an impact. She noted that the industry then was driven by hunger and determination, despite meager financial rewards.
“The Nollywood now, the passion is gone,” Akintola said. “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 make a difference kept us going.”
She lamented that the current trend prioritizes appearances and cosmetic enhancements such as Brazilian Butt Lifts (BBL) over storytelling and quality content. “It’s now about looks and not about content. Looks will fade no matter what,” she added.
Contrasting this with stage acting, Akintola praised theatre performers for maintaining the same level of dedication and commitment that once defined Nollywood. “On stage, you still see passion-driven people who just want to do their best in front of the audience,” she said.
