'The pay was nonsense' - Nollywood star on why he quit acting in 2019

Prominent Nigerian actor Deyemi Okanlawon has opened up about a little-known chapter of his career, revealing that he walked away from acting in 2019 due to poor pay and a deep sense of unfulfilment with the work he was being offered.

The disclosure came during an appearance on the CreativiTea podcast, where Okanlawon spoke candidly about his journey in the entertainment industry and the personal crisis that led him to temporarily abandon the craft.

"I quit acting in 2019. I quit because the pay was nonsense, the work was nonsense. And I just felt like I didn't leave 9-to-5 work to come and do mediocre work," he said.

The actor described how the daily grind of showing up to work without passion or purpose became unsustainable, eventually pushing him back into conventional employment.

"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? So I quit and then went back to 9-to-5 work," he added.

Okanlawon also used the platform to speak up for celebrities who face relentless online criticism and mockery, arguing that most social media users have little understanding of the pressures that come with life in the public eye.

"I see people who have no idea what the challenges are that people in the spotlight are facing. They just come up with a lot of things. It's sad to see," he said.

The actor stressed that fame does not shield anyone from personal struggles and called for greater empathy towards public figures who are, at the end of the day, human beings navigating the same complexities of life as everyone else.

Okanlawon also took aim at the growing use of the term "yeyebrities" to dismiss and belittle celebrities, describing the label as unfair and counterproductive, and warning that constantly tearing others down often becomes the greatest obstacle to one's own success.