Ayobami Ojo popular known as Oyita has appealed to Nigerians to stop identifying her as an actress, saying the label has negatively affected her business prospects and almost cost her a romantic relationship.
In a recent video shared on her Instagram page, Ojo said being known as an actress has exposed her to years of unfair treatment and discrimination.
She disclosed that she missed out on opportunities to buy land and secure rental properties because of the perception associated with being an actress.
“I am tired of being called an actress. Stop calling me an actress,” she said.
“I stopped being an actress years ago, and even when I was an actress, I never did anything wrong. I say this with my full chest. I didn’t do anything wrong to anybody.
“The last time I was trying to buy a landed property in Lagos, I didn’t get it because the seller’s wife said, ‘Oh, I don’t want my husband to sell this land to an actress.’ There was also a time I wanted to rent a place for my business, but I didn’t get it.
“Another one I was really interested in… the man was told, ‘This woman doesn’t live here. She goes to the UK and back. She is an actress.’ Immediately he heard I was an actress, he said, ‘I’m not renting my house to an actress.’ What did we do to you, people?”
She also disclosed that stereotypes about actresses cost her a relationship.
“Now I am seeing someone. I am talking to that person, and yes, I am so in love with that person. Then one family member or friend tells him, ‘No, you cannot marry an actress. They do juju too much,’” she said.
“This person is my fellow woman. She doesn’t want anything good for me because whenever she sees a good man trying to ask me out, she says, ‘Actresses are not good.’ But I don’t see anything bad in this one.
“I have not trended for anything bad on Instagram. The only problem people have with me is because they say actresses are bad. So you automatically think we are bad.
“What did I do to you? Except if there is no God. Those of you who go out there to spoil actresses because of one thing somebody puts out there… sometimes the things they put out are not even real.
“I wanted to do this video since last year when I lost that landed property, but I overlooked it as the price I had to pay for being an actress. Is it a crime?’”
Ojo emphasised that her wealth comes from years of hard work, including working long hours in the United Kingdom, adding that she is now considering distancing herself completely from acting.
“If it is to outrightly sell the last film I made, I would. I don’t know what to do with it; maybe just give it to charity. I am tired of being called an actress. Please, stop calling me an actress,” she said.
“I worked so hard for my money. Sometimes, I work 12 to 14 hours in the UK just to save money. But people go around saying negative things about us just because they see us on TV.”
