“I Refused Their Advances, So They Denied Me Roles” — Nollywood Veteran Moji Afolayan Speaks Out

Veteran Nollywood actress Moji Afolayan, wife of fellow actor Rasaq Olayiwola, popularly known as Ojopagogo, has shed light on the reasons behind her absence from the movie scene in recent years. In a candid revelation, Afolayan attributed her reduced presence in Nollywood to her firm stance against compromising her values in exchange for career advancement.

The actress, who has been in the industry since 1985, disclosed that some film marketers attempted to exploit female actors by offering financial incentives tied to sexual favors. Her refusal to engage in such practices, she said, led to deliberate exclusion from film projects.

“I have only produced one movie since joining the industry. There was a time when marketers supported actresses financially to produce movies, but I was not willing to offer my body in return. Because of that, they denied me the opportunity to work for them,” Afolayan explained.

Despite being married to a fellow actor, she recounted how some industry insiders even criticized her husband for being “overprotective,” using that as a justification for sidelining her.

“They knew my husband is also in the industry, yet they still acted unfairly. Some of them even claimed he was the one holding me back. But the truth is, I made my own choices.”

She acknowledged that some of her colleagues who gave in to the pressures may have enjoyed momentary fame but later struggled when attempting to assert their independence.

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“Some of those who accepted the advances got famous, but when they tried to stand on their own, they became enemies with the same marketers who once promoted them.”

Afolayan also clarified that contrary to public speculation, her husband never discouraged her from pursuing her filmmaking career.

“I never even told my husband what those marketers tried with me. It wasn’t him that stopped me from making films. It was my choice not to give in.”

Her testimony sheds light on ongoing conversations about exploitation, ethics, and power dynamics within the Nigerian film industry. Moji Afolayan’s story resonates with many women in the creative arts who have chosen principle over pressure — even at great personal and professional cost.