Etinosa Idemudia speaks on ‘Sex for Roles’ in her early Nollywood career while appearing on a promotional clip for the Knowledge Lounge podcast shared on Instagram on January 2, 2026. According to the Girls Trip actor, some individuals responsible for sexually harassing young actors were not necessarily producers or directors, but sometimes their personal assistants. She also added that upcoming actors were sometimes lured with old scripts.
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“One useless person will come, would not force me, would not try to toast, trying to tell me some kind of thing, ‘I’ll give you the script, you’ll come to my house, you will rehearse.’ But you know, later in life, I got to realize that all these people that do these things, it’s probably scripts that they’ve already shot that they are used to to deceive girls… They would just give you old scripts just to lure you. Just to just to give this vibe of I’m a director, I’m a producer. Just to lure you to their house. So I’ll give you this. That person you’re already talking to, they’re the PA or sef. Maybe he’s not even a real director.”
Other Nollywood Actors Who Have Spoken About ‘Sex for Roles’
Other Nollywood actors have also spoken out about “sex for roles” in the industry. While Etinosa is currently trending for sharing her experience as a young actor in Nollywood, she is not alone. Several actors have previously spoken about being pressured or propositioned in exchange for career opportunities.
Voice-Over Actor Nene Nwayo on Sexual Harassment in Nollywood
Voice-over actor Nene Nwayo, known for her roles in films such as The Origin: Madam Koi Koi (as Edna) and Roli and Zehra (as Zehra), told the BBC in 2019 about her experience with sexual harassment as a young actor. According to Nene:
“Being a young, upcoming actress in this industry, there are so many challenges that you can face. But for me, I’ve had quite a lot of sexual advances for jobs. The auditions I thought were closed auditions, and I got there, and I realized that this person actually just wanted to have sex with me to get a job. They kept saying how they have made other celebrities, that this is what the other celebrities did to get to where they are. If I wanted to get to that point, I had to do the same thing. In my career, I have experienced sexual harassment between 10 to 15 times.”
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Kunle Remi on The Honest Bunch Podcast
Kunle Remi is among the actors who have spoken about being propositioned sexually in the entertainment industry. The actor recounted his experience on the Honest Bunch podcast, where he said an unnamed entertainer implied he needed to “pay his dues” and would only help him succeed if he engaged in sexual activity.
“When I got there, this n***a started calling out names and said that I wasn’t selected for the Ultimate Search was because I haven’t paid my dues. He painted this picture like if I didn’t bend my ass, I wouldn’t make it…”
Producers Accused of Demanding Sex for Roles in Nollywood
According to Pulse. In 2014, veteran actor Emeka Ike alleged that some actors and producers in Nollywood demanded sexual favors from aspiring actresses. He listed several industry figures, including Emma Ogugua, Murphy Stephen, Sunny McDon, Okey Bakassi, and Ifeanyi Dikeh. Okey Bakassi and other producers mentioned have since denied the claims.
Mariam Emily Adama is a copywriter, SEO strategist, and digital marketer passionate about using words to inform, inspire, and influence. With over seven years of experience writing for global brands and managing digital campaigns, she brings a data-driven yet creative approach to content creation. When she’s not writing or analyzing trends, Mariam enjoys exploring new cultures, reading, and documenting stories that celebrate African excellence.