Nigeria is blessed with so many celebrities in the music, sports, TV and movies sectors and their success stories keep serving as an inspiration to millions of Nigerians out there. However, while some of these superstars are indeed successful, not all of them have lifestyles that are worth emulating.
Thankfully, we have a few celebrities in the Nollywood industry that rarely get into scandals that will discourage the regular Nigerian from trying to be like them or prevent fans from seeing them as one to look up to.
These select few are known to live their lives while thinking carefully about how the things they do can influence the lives of their several fans and followers who love them wholeheartedly. See the Best Nollywood Actresses Who Make The Best Role Models (2022).
1. Mo Abudu:
Despite going by the name Mosunmola Abudu, she prefers to be called Mo Abudu for short, and she is one of the most reputable Nollywood brains of our time. If you are not aware, Mo is the founder of EbonyLife TV, EbonyLife Films and the Executive Producer of The Debaters, a popular reality TV show that ruled the country for years.
She is known to be the producer of various Nollywood films that Nigerians will not forget in a hurry like, “Wedding Party,” “Chief Daddy,” and so on. Mo is known to always carry herself in a manner that commands respect among her peers and from fans, and she is popular for sharing life quotes from time to time to inspire the upcoming generation that look up to her.
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Mo Abudu once advised the youths to never stop pursuing their passion and goals in life because the only way they can know how far they can go is when they don’t stop trying. Years back, she was also quoted telling Nigerian youths that the key to success in anything is to be absolutely consistent over a long period of time.
Mo Abudu’s success is so massive that “EbonyLifeTV” is currently airing in Nigeria, the UK and in several other countries across Africa, therefore, if this icon advises you on how to chase your dreams the right way and be successful at it, you should be wise enough to listen.
This Nollywood legend was also the recipient of a honorary doctorate from Babcock University in 2014, and she was honoured to be on the list of 25 Most Powerful Women in Global TV by The Hollywood Reporter years ago. In summary, Mo is a good example to women who need a role model simply because she has absolutely defied all odds to be a pacesetter in her industry.
2. Genevieve Nnaji:
Popular Nollywood actress, Genevieve Nnaji is famous for her silent and elegant lifestyle, and she made her acting debut at a very young age in “Ripples,” a popular Nigerian TV soap opera back then. She then left the industry for a while before returning at the age of 18 to go on to feature in hundreds of movies and become a household name that Nigerians have come to love and respect.
Thus far, Genevieve has spent 21 years having an impact in Nollywood and she has been deservedly rewarded with several awards for her hard work over the years. Genny was honoured as a member of the “Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria” by the government in 2011, and she has since ventured into entrepreneurship while also exploring other skills in her locker.
Talking about exploring other skills, Nnaji tried out directing years back when she worked on “Lionheart,” making history as the first Netflix film produced in Nigeria. Nowadays, Genevieve is currently one of the richest female actresses in the industry and many consider her a role model because she is proof that Nigerians can achieve whatever they set their mind to if they can believe and put in the required work.
3. Funke Akindele:
Funke Akindele is another Nollywood icon worth emulating. Her journey to success is definitely an inspiration to a lot of people, and she began her acting career as an actress in a popular sitcom, “I Need to Know,” a show that was funded by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFP) several years ago.
Funke has gone on to act in hundreds of movies since then, and she even produced her own TV series, “Jenifa’s Diaries,” to further seal her status as a force to reckon with in the Nollywood industry. Her rise to fame has been nothing short of amazing, and this movie star has won multiple awards for her several sleepless nights going through her movie scripts.
4. Mercy Johnson Okojie:
Another award-winning Nollywood actress who deserves a spot on this list is Mercy Johnson. Recently making it to the list of wealthiest actresses in the Nigerian movie industry, Mercy has worked her acting brains off for every penny.
The fact that the now married actress decided to audition for a movie role after failing her university entrance examination is something most people don’t know about, but it is the perfect definition of knowing what you really want to do with your life and working towards it.
Mercy Johnson ended up getting the role she auditioned for and it kickstarted her journey into the Nollywood industry, where she has since made a name for herself. Apart from acting, she has also engaged in several other businesses that have impacted the lives of others. One of these businesses is her company named “Mercy Magic,” a brand that aids wellness and fitness while focusing on helping Nigerian ladies who want to start a weight loss journey.
All of these and more have made Mercy Johnson a role model to many and she also became the face of several popular companies, clinching various endorsements with top brands in the process. The actress is now known to prioritize her family life over everything else, a move that became obvious immediately she got married.
As far as philanthropy is concerned, this movie star takes it seriously too. She is the founder of Mercy Johnson Foundation, a popular NGO that concentrates on alleviating poverty in Nigeria, especially among widows and children.
5. Patience Ozokwor:
Don’t let her wicked roles in movies deceive you, Patience Ozokwor is a good woman that is worthy of emulation. This movie star is not just a Nollywood actress, she is also a gospel singer, fashion designer and mother. Known as Mama G, she actually started acting in 1999, but became one of the most sought-after actresses in the 2000s due to her amazing role interpretation, especially when acting as a wicked mother or inlaw.
Patience Ozokwor just loves flaunting wickedness in most of the movies she has acted in, and she actually played the evil roles so well that many felt it was her nature in real life. They were so wrong though because this Nollywood legend is actually a believer who should serve as a role model to many for her courage and strength to cope with life issues she battled with the past and keep chasing her acting dreams, even at an advanced age.
Getting married at the tender age of 19, the movie star lost her husband to the cold hands of death in 2000, a reality she struggled to bounce back from for a while. She, however, picked herself up eventually and focused on her career, while taking care of her three children at the same time.
Patience began acting in a soap opera by Nigerian Television Authorities (NTA) titled “Someone’s Care,” in 1999, she then moved into her most busy period as an actress in the 2000s and most of her notable projects include:
Terrible Sin (2001)
Mothering Sunday (2001)
Greedy Genius (2001)
Desperadoes (2001)
The Final Clash (2002)
Sunrise (2002)
Submission (2002)
Pretender (2002)
Old School (2002)
Miracle (2002)
Fire on the Mountain (2002)
Christian Marriage (2002)
Under Fire (2003)
The Storm is Over (2003)
The Cross of Love (2003)
Private Sin (2003)
Price of the Wicked
Mr. Trouble (2003)
Market Sellers (2003)
Forever Yours (2003)
Evil Woman (2003)
Cry No More (2003)
By His Grace (2003)
Blood Sister (2003)
Billionaires Club (2003)
2 Rats (2003)
Police Woman (2004)
The Staff of Odo (2004)
My Mother My Marriage (2004)
My First Love (2004)
Mama G in America (2004)
Mama I Will Die for You (2004)
Heritage (2004)
Annabel (2004)
Women in Power (2005)
Ways of the Heart (2005)
Torn Apart (2005)
The Corridors of Power (2005)
Soul on Fire (2005)
Rings of Fire (2005)
Men at War (2005)
Ladies World (2005)
Good News (2005)
End of Dreams (2005)
Divided Kingdom (2005)
Dangerous Blood (2005)
Crying Angel (2005)
Winning Your Love (2006)
Total Crisis (2006)
The Humble Lion (2006)
The Devil in Her (2006)
The Final Days (2006)
Sweet Mama (2006)
Sacred Blood (2006)
Pounds and Dollars (2006)
Nowhere to Run (2006)
My Mother’s Decision (2006)
My Love My Sorrow (2006)
Unfinished Business (2007)
Will of God (2007)
Saved by Sin (2007)
Pride of a Woman (2007)
Love and Likeness (2007)
Lions Den (2007)
Kingdom Apart (2007)
Goddess of the Sun (2007)
Blood Apart (2007)
Area Mama (2007)
Stubborn Doctor (2008)
Strength to Strength (2008)
Indian Doctor (2008)
Heart of a Slave (2008)
Heaven After Hell (2008)
After My Heart (2008)
Act of Faith (2008)
Power of a Kiss (2010)
Open & Close (2011)
World of the Mind (2012)
The End is Near (2012)
My World (2012)
Bridge of Contract (2012)
Sin of a Woman (2013)
Cry of a Witch (2013)
To Rise Again (2014)
Idemili (2014)
Overseas (2015)
Chief Daddy (2018)
Don’t Get Mad Get Even (2019)
Scars of a Mother (2020)
Bad Comments (2020).
In a recent interview, Patience Ozokwor revealed that her biggest pain is not being able to remarry after her husband passed away suddenly many years ago, a decision she made because of her lovely kids. If this motherly love and attention don’t inspire several Nigerian women out there who hope to be good mothers someday, I don’t know know what will.
