Actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde has credited her colleague Ruth Kadiri for convincing her to join filmmakers on YouTube, a move that later led to her directorial debut, Mother’s Love, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
Speaking on the Nollywood on Radio podcast, Omotola said Ruth’s persistence during a vacation in 2023 changed her view about the platform.
“I came on vacation in 2023, and I had a meeting with Ruth. She was like, ‘Mama, do you know what is going on? There is a whole revolution with YouTube.’ She showed me numbers and everything,” she said.
“She said, ‘You can do what you want on YouTube, but I think you should still get in on this phenomenon. I think you would do very well in it. Anyway, she kept pressuring me. Ruth does not rest. That girl gave me no peace of mind.”
Omotola said she finally decided to try after Ruth’s insistence. “I called my producer and said, ‘Let’s do a production on this thing.’ We finished shooting in four days. I surprised myself and was thankful to her for giving me the courage to try.”
The 47-year-old said the success of that project inspired Mother’s Love, which she described as a story born “out of pressure” to return fully to filmmaking.
Mother’s Love, which explores grief and mother-daughter relationships, premiered at TIFF 50 on September 6.
The screening drew Nollywood stars and industry figures including NFVCB boss Shuaibu Hussein, filmmaker Obi Emelonye and actress Lilian Afegbai.
Marking her 30th year in Nollywood, Omotola said the TIFF screening was “deeply symbolic.” Plans are underway for a Lagos premiere in early 2026.
