Nollywood actress and television host Damilola Oni has opened up about a distressing experience of professional sabotage early in her career, involving an unnamed senior colleague in the Yoruba movie industry.
In a recent interview on Oyinmomo TV (reported on April 4, 2026), the Aajirebi star detailed how a senior actor’s ultimatum led to her being stripped of a major role.
The “Set Ultimatum” Incident
Oni recounted a specific production where she had been cast in a lead role. After arriving on set and waiting for over eight hours without being attended to, she was eventually approached by the producer with a difficult revelation.
- The Choice: The producer informed her that the senior colleague she was meant to act alongside had refused to share the set with her. The colleague reportedly told the producer: “It’s either her or me.”
- The Demotion: Faced with the threat of losing the senior actor, the producer admitted he could not pick the rising Oni over the established star. As a result, she was unceremoniously reassigned to a minor role in the same production.
- The Offense: To this day, Oni maintains she is unaware of what “offense” she committed to warrant such treatment, noting that the colleague simply claimed they “could not work with her.”
Resilience in the Face of “Crushing”
Despite feeling “distraught and pained” by the incident, Oni stated that she made a conscious decision not to quit the industry. She viewed leaving as a way of allowing the person to “crush” her and instead chose to stay and prove her worth.
“I didn’t want that. The sky is big enough for everyone to fly,” she remarked, echoing a sentiment of perseverance that has defined her recent rise in the industry.
Online Harassment Concerns
In the same interview, Oni also addressed the darker side of her fame, revealing that she frequently deals with online harassment. She disclosed that her Instagram DMs are often flooded with unsolicited explicit images and “nudes” from male fans, some of whom send disturbing messages about “satisfying their urges” while watching her on screen.
