According to veteran Yoruba Nollywood actress Toyin Afolayan, better known by her stage name Lola Idije, her acting career was never part of her original ambitions.
The seasoned actress disclosed that she was more passionate about business and had no intentions of pursuing a career in the film industry.
However, circumstances led her down a different path, ultimately shaping her into one of the most respected figures in Nollywood.
During an interview on the Talk2Dunnis TV Official YouTube channel, Afolayan recounted how her elder brother, AdeLove, played a significant role in steering her towards acting.
While she frequently visited film sets where her brother worked, her main motivation was the social aspect — enjoying free meals and interacting with actors.
She had no serious interest in the craft itself. Despite her reluctance, her brother saw potential in her and insisted that she take up acting, a decision she initially resisted.
According to the actress, her brother held a strong influence in the family, and his decisions were often final. Even when she argued against joining the film industry, she eventually found herself following his directive.
She said: “My dream when I was younger was to become a businesswoman. I loved doing business so much that if someone had prophesied to me that I would become an actress, I would have dismissed it as false because I never really considered it a career path for myself. Most of the time, when my elder brother, AdeLove, was shooting on set, I would go to the location just to eat free food, chat with the other actors, and then return home. However, I don’t know what my elder brother saw in me that made him insist I would become an actress. Despite arguing with him, his decision was always final because he was respected by everyone in the family, including our mother.”
she said, “Those who are coming to toast me are making a big mistake because they only want to benefit from what I have. Some men come to toast me because I’m popular, but I can’t date a man anymore. My only priority at the moment is my children, and I want to see them giving birth to grandchildren that will call me their grandmother.”
Watch interview below