“My Husband Doesn’t Compete With Me, And He Manages Our Home, Including Shopping, He’s A Blessing -Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde

Veteran actress and filmmaker Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, popularly known as Omo Sexy, opens up to Naomi Chima about her remarkable journey through Nollywood’s evolving landscape, from her rise to stardom and battles against industry politics to her near-death surgery, creative rebirth, and life beyond the camera

I would say it’s by simply being myself. I learned a long time ago to embrace who I am and just relax. I try not to force anything or do anything artificial that could stress my body or mind. I take life easy, stay happy, and leave the rest to God.

I started acting after escorting a friend to a movie audition. After finishing school, I was waiting for my JAMB results and wanted to use my time productively to support my mum, who was a widow. I looked for ways to earn money and had applied for several opportunities that didn’t work out. Eventually, a friend invited me to a modelling audition, and I decided to try. I got in and was paid well.

One day, we went to another modelling audition, which was taking too long, so my friend suggested we check out a nearby movie audition. She went in first but didn’t get the role. I asked if I could try, and she agreed. I went in, gave it my best, and surprisingly got the part. That marked the beginning of my acting journey.

Fame before social media was tricky. The junk magazines were our biggest challenge; they would write stories with sensational headlines, and you’d wake up to family calls asking what had happened, trying to calm everyone.

Then came social media: first websites, bloggers, gossip pages, and then Facebook. I was very active on Facebook and my website. My website had the highest hits at the time, and my Facebook page became the first with one million likes. It was exciting because fans could finally interact with us.

Later, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and Twitter arrived. With Twitter, the fun changed. It became very toxic, with people trolling you over misunderstood comments. That’s when many from my era stepped back. The younger generation is new to it and still learning; we went through all those stages.

None really. Some roles have been closed, but none represent me fully. I’ve realised I’m an ambivert. My extroverted side appears only around people I trust. I’m mostly introverted. In public, I tend to coil into myself, which people misinterpret as pride or snobbishness. That’s why I avoid parties; my social battery drains quickly.

There isn’t one thing I’m most grateful for; I’m grateful for different things at different stages. I’m grateful I gave my life to Christ at 15, married the person I did at the right time, and had the courage to shape my career despite obstacles.

I’m also grateful for opportunities to work internationally, which broadened my mindset, and for recognitions like TIME 100. My humanitarian work with the UN World Food Programme, Amnesty International, Save the Children UK, ONE, and Enough is Enough Nigeria has been meaningful. Advocacy and activism are core to who I am.

I’ve always been called a director, but I hadn’t done it professionally until recently. I’ve enjoyed it for years, but only now have I shot my own movie.

It was divine. After moving to Hollywood, I always wanted to create my own projects. I had over 25 scripts in development. In December 2023, during a vacation in Nigeria, Ruth Kadiri explained how YouTube had evolved into a platform for full-length films. By March 2024, I agreed to try.

We shot a short film, RR, in four days despite power outages and fuel scarcity. It turned out beautifully and gave me the courage to make Mother’s Love.

God’s grace is central. My husband and I share the same faith and had Christ before we met, which is our foundation. Misunderstandings happen, but we always return to that foundation.

My husband is mature, simple-minded, and values peace over the spotlight. He doesn’t compete with me, and he manages our home, including shopping. He’s a blessing.

I initially modelled my parenting after my mother, a disciplinarian, but I didn’t want to raise my children with fear. They would get the occasional slap or chase, but I stopped early. My husband is more like my dad, a free thinker who insists on respect.