Nollywood actress Etinosa Idemudia has advised women not to measure their success by marriage or having children. Instead, she encouraged them to value themselves, pursue their dreams, and live life at their own pace without allowing society to pressure them.

Speaking during an interview with media personality Egungun, Etinosa said one of the most important lessons she wants to teach her daughter is self-respect and self-worth.

She said, “If I don’t teach my daughter anything, I would teach her how to respect herself, how to value herself, because a woman who respects herself can never be disrespected by anyone.”

The actress added that she would never raise her daughter to believe that marriage or motherhood is the ultimate measure of success.

According to her, “Marriage is not an achievement. Having children is not an achievement. She will do whatever she wants to do at her own time, at her own pace.”

Etinosa also shared her thoughts on success in the movie industry. She explained that while hard work is important, it is not the only factor that determines success, noting that some actors work harder than she does but receive less recognition.

She said, “Hard work is part of it, but I can never say that hard work is all of it because there are some people who act far more than me, who work far harder than me, but I might be more recognised than them or I might be more successful than them. Like the Bible says, ‘Paul plants, Apollos waters, and God brings the increase’. It’s not just hard work. Hard work alone is not enough, just like love alone is not enough in marriage.”

The actress further encouraged women to stay committed to their careers, saying they often have to work harder than men to receive the same level of recognition.

She said, “I feel we women need to work twice as hard to get the recognition or applause for what a man will work half as hard for. So, as a woman, you need to be on top of your game.”

Etinosa also urged women not to be discouraged by criticism or false accusations from people who try to undermine successful women.

She said, “You need to close your ears to people who say, ‘Oh, she didn’t get it by merit. She went to sleep with somebody.’ Women will never stop calling a successful woman names. So block your ears to the noise. Stay grounded. Stay focused. Study people who have made it ahead of you. Do not envy. Be inspired. Do not be jealous.”

Nollywood actress Blessing Obasi Nze has revealed that she is now more selective about the acting roles she accepts, saying she prefers characters that challenge her abilities and push her beyond her comfort zone.

Speaking in an interview with Saturday Beats, the actress said she wants to be part of stories that have emotional depth and leave a lasting impact on viewers.

According to her, she hopes to continue acting in projects that not only entertain people but also challenge perspectives, inspire conversations, and reflect real human experiences.

She said, “Going forward, I am even more intentional about choosing stories that have emotional depth and leave people thinking long after the credits roll. I want to continue telling stories that entertain, but also challenge perspectives, spark conversations and reflect the richness of our human experiences. If a character scares me a little or stretches me creatively, that’s usually a good sign that I should explore it.”

Speaking about her role as Mimi in Blood Sisters 2, Blessing explained that whenever she receives a script, her first priority is to understand the character rather than judge them.

She said, “For me, every character begins with understanding why they are the way they are. I try not to judge the people I play; I try to understand them.”

The actress also described acting as a collaborative effort instead of a competition.

She said, “Acting isn’t a competition for me; it’s collaboration. Every actor in that movie series contributed greatly to creating a world that audiences could believe in, and I’m thankful to have been a part of that.”

Speaking about her acting style, Blessing said she enjoys fully immersing herself in her characters while filming because it helps her grow creatively. However, she added that she does not stay in character after filming is over.

She said, “While the camera is rolling, I want the audience to see the character and not Blessing Obasi Nze. If viewers forget they’re watching me and instead become invested in the person I’m portraying, then I feel I’ve done my job well.”

Nigerian singer Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has opened up about the challenges he faced while growing up and why he was unable to complete his education.

Speaking during an appearance on The Honest Bunch Podcast, Portable revealed that he had to sell sachet water, popularly known as pure water, to pay his school fees because he had no one to sponsor his education.

According to the singer, the financial struggles he faced forced him to stop his education before completing it.

Despite this, Portable said he is determined to return to school and finish his studies. He disclosed that he is currently a student of Kwara Polytechnic.

He said, “I no finish school; the time wey I dey go school, I sell pure water, I no see anybody to sponsor me.

“I will still finish school, I be student of Kwara Poly.”

Portable also spoke about his family, claiming that his father paid for the education of his brothers and sisters while he had to fend for himself and was considered the “olodo” in the family.

He added, “My papa send my brothers and sisters go school, na me be Olodo but now, na me dey feed all of them.”