Nollywood actor Deyemi Okanlawon has called on creatives across music, film, fashion, and other sectors to create works that can compete globally and inspire pride among Nigerians.
Speaking on the Creativitea podcast, Okanlawon said the country needs more creative exports that showcase the best of Nigeria to the world and give citizens a stronger sense of national pride.
“We need things that will make us proud to be Nigerians. We need our creative people to create things, music, film, fashion, whatever it is, that will go outside the shores of the country. People will celebrate us, we will feel proud to be called Nigerians,” he said.
The actor also spoke about his approach to acting, stressing the importance of authenticity and truth in performance.
“As an actor I spend so much time being true to myself, living in the moment in truth that that is what I bring to film. In fact, if I ever find myself acting, I would say pause, we need to do this again,” he stated.
Okanlawon further shared his thoughts on passion, perseverance, and purpose, noting that many people often misunderstand the journey toward success.
“If it’s not feeding you, it’s not passion. It’s desire, it’s belief, it’s not passion. There will be a time, there will be a season when you might not get anything. But it’s a season, it’s not a lifetime. When it becomes a lifetime, that’s when it becomes a problem,” he said.
