Veteran Nollywood actress, Moji Afolayan, has opened up about the challenges she faced in her acting career, revealing that she was blacklisted by film marketers for refusing to give in to their sexual demands.
In a recent interview on Oyinmomo TV, the 57-year-old thespian, who is the daughter of late legendary actor Adeyemi ‘Adelove’ Afolayan, said her refusal to compromise her values cost her roles, fame, and income during her early years in the industry.
“At that time, when marketers in Idumota were the major financiers of Nollywood, some of them demanded sex in return for movie roles,” Afolayan said. “Because of the kind of upbringing I had, I couldn’t trade my body for fame. That decision came at a cost—they stopped calling me for jobs.”
The actress said she became the subject of a silent boycott after rebuffing advances from influential marketers. According to her, a group of marketers conspired not to feature her in their productions.
“They held meetings among themselves not to call me because I didn’t sleep with them,” she alleged. “Even my husband hadn’t touched me at the time. I was raised differently, and I stood by my principles.”
Afolayan also claimed that many of her female colleagues—some of them married—gave in to the demands of the marketers, often without their spouses’ knowledge.
“Some women would be with the marketers inside, while their husbands were outside. I know them. They would say, ‘Is it only your husband?’ just to justify their actions,” she said.
Despite the setbacks, Afolayan said she has no regrets.
“I thank God I stood with my dignity. That is what I am enjoying today. I cherish my body more than anything, and even my husband knows that.”
She recalled the story of a late colleague who faced similar rejection for refusing a marketer’s sexual proposition. The marketer, she said, admitted to sleeping with many actresses to determine who would get featured.
“Many of us were affected, but I held on to my values. I wasn’t made a star on their terms, but I’m still here today, standing tall.”
Afolayan noted that while her refusal affected her income and visibility, the rise of digital platforms like YouTube has helped restore opportunities for those once sidelined.
“They’ve made us social media-friendly now,” she said. “They pushed us away, but now we have platforms to share our work on our terms.”
