Popular Nollywood actor Deyemi Okanlawon has shared the reason behind his decision to step away from acting in 2019, revealing that poor earnings and unfulfilling projects made him question his future in the film industry.
Speaking during an appearance on the CreativiTea podcast, the actor explained that he reached a point where continuing in Nollywood no longer felt rewarding despite his passion for acting.
According to him, the quality of work available at the time did not justify leaving behind a stable corporate career.
“The pay was nonsense, the work was nonsense. I just felt like I didn’t leave 9-5 work to come and do mediocre work,” Okanlawon said.
He added that the situation gradually affected his motivation, making it difficult to enjoy the profession he once loved.
“It was difficult to wake up in the morning and go to work, and what is the point of being passionate about something and then not being fulfilled by it?” he said.
Deyemi Okanlawon Returned to Corporate Life
Rather than remain frustrated, Deyemi Okanlawon decided to return to the corporate sector. He updated his résumé and accepted a position with Silverbird Film Distribution as Head of Marketing.
His responsibilities later expanded as he became the head of the company’s Nollywood distribution desk.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, he also served as Acting Chief Executive Officer after the company’s substantive CEO relocated.
While he had settled back into corporate life, interest from the Nigerian film industry continued to grow.
According to the actor, some of Nollywood’s biggest filmmakers repeatedly reached out, encouraging him to return to acting.
He revealed that he received calls from Mo Abudu, Kemi Adetiba, Jade Osiberu, Funke Akindele, and Kunle Afolayan.
Despite the persistent invitations, Okanlawon initially declined every offer.
“Everybody kept saying, ‘Come back, come back,'” he recalled. “I kept saying, ‘No, I’m done.'”
Omo Ghetto The Saga Marked His Comeback
After staying away from acting for about two years, Deyemi Okanlawon eventually agreed to return in 2021. His comeback proved to be a turning point in his career.
His performance in Funke Akindele’s Omo Ghetto: The Saga is widely regarded as the project that reintroduced him to audiences on a larger scale and paved the way for a steady stream of high-profile film roles.
The actor also reflected on how his journey into Nollywood began years earlier. He revealed that he attended his first acting audition in 2010 and quickly landed two roles.
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As more opportunities followed, he found himself choosing between a successful career in sales and marketing and pursuing acting full-time.
Initially, he planned to dedicate just one year to acting before making a long-term decision. That one-year experiment eventually grew into a full-time career, interrupted only by his temporary exit in 2019.
