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While Nollywood audiences around the world are still reeling from his explosive performances in recent releases like To Kill A Monkey, Cordelia and more, film star William Benson is already planning his next move, his own production of the Idia story, to be titled, “The War General”. He reveals this in an exclusive Nollywood on Radio interview where he reveals why he is not an overnight sensation, but one of Nollywood’s finest. Having been in Nollywood since the 90s, Benson reveals why his long-awaited ascent—after three decades of patient artistry and frustration with payment delays—is a testament to divine timing, following spiritual direction, and the belief that the “timeline of God” makes all things beautiful. TOMI FALADE brings excerpts.

 A number of veterans in the industry have said you are one of the best actors in Nollywood in recent times. Tell us, how did you get into Nollywood, because so many people think that Nollywood started for you with To Kill a Monkey? 

I have been in the industry since 1990. I officially joined Nollywood in 1993 and released a film with Theophillus Akatupa in 1996 called Blood on My Hands. Over the years, I have moved between stage, television, and shows like Tales by Moonlight, as well as numerous NTA productions. For instance, the series US, produced by Vicky Amede. I had the privilege of working with top Nollywood and NANTAP actors like Ayo Lijadu and Uncle Olu Jacobs. 

I was present during the era of ECOWAS, Kilo, the Surulere team, and even during the times of Ramsey Nouah and Eucharia Anunobi. But after my 1996 experience, I stepped back from Nollywood. Having worked extensively in the industry, I realised that while there were opportunities availed me to exercise my craft, I would often wait months to be paid for my services. 

After that, I collaborated with Media International, Uncle Tunde Oloyede on Tight Rope, directed by Jimmy Odumosu around 1998, where Olu Jacobs was also part of the cast. This led to other projects, including Edge of Paradise and Broken Songs. In 2005, I did Campus Queen with Tunde Kelani. Following that, he called me two weeks later, saying he had seen me in a film, even though I was in only a few scenes, and he wanted me as a main actor in a film he would write. That project became Cordelia which we did in 2021. 

During that time, I focused more on stage than film. I worked with Duke of Somolu’s production company, originally called Katunga Media before it became Duke of Somolu Production. I was involved in his rant project in Thisday Newspaper called Loud Whispers. 

I was in London when Bolanle Austen Peters called to ask me to meet someone upon my return. That person turned out to be Joseph Edgar, someone I had known since he attended my shows at Terra Kulture, Theatre at Terra. We had an instant connection, and we began collaborating on various productions. 

Through Katunga Media, we produced his first play, adapted stories from Thisday Newspaper, and I wrote plays such as Isale Eko (a story of Lagos), Oba Esugbayi Eleko, Anonymous Nipples, and several others. Out of about 20 plays, I wrote 12 or 13, producing and directing most of them. This was what I used to busy myself with the arts. 

I stayed away from film because I rarely attended auditions, because when I go there, they keep telling me I’m very good. I would on, and I still won’t be called. 

I questioned why this was happening, but little did I know that God was incubating me for a greater purpose. My faith has always been my anchor, I’m more attached to God than anything in this life. Eventually, I met my pastor, who repeatedly told me to pursue film, despite me telling him that I am a theatre director. After that things opened up. 

I did Ajoche for Africa Magic, a 260-episode series where I appeared in every episode. Normally, African Magic wouldn’t re-engage actors after such a long run until two or three years later. But impressed by my performance, they made me the lead in Unbroken in 2019. 

I continued collaborating with directors like Kayode Kasum, and others until 2023. I had gone on evangelism in church, when we got back, I wasn’t too satisfied, so I went back out to evangelise. When I got back, I was tired and hungry, so I went into the church restaurant to eat. I got a call from Tola Odunsi, a mutual friend of Kemi Adetiba and me. She wanted me for To Kill a Monkey. He called me and asked why I wasn’t picking Kemi Adetiba’s call, and I said I didn’t see it. Turned out I had missed four of her calls. 

When I called her, she asked me to drop and she called me back. We spoke for over an hour 30 minutes. 

After several discussions, Kemi said repeatedly, “William, we need you,” and I accepted. I met Bucci Franklin, who played Oboz, before production and discovered he shared my collaborative approach to acting. I’m more of a collaborative actor than a competitive actor. 

Filming To Kill a Monkey was intense. We were on set for three months. For two months, one week, I wore the same clothes to portray a poor man. Kemi guided the crew and me psychologically to achieve the character’s authenticity. She made everyone on set treat me like nobody, and I didn’t know. When it was time to switch to the wealthy Efemini, she encouraged me to assert dominance, that when they talk to me I can snub them. It was more of a psychology game play. 

How did it feel waiting so long before getting the acclaim you deserved after 32 years? 

The beauty of it all lies in what I like to call the timeline and the timing of God. Worry tears a lot of people apart, and if you don’t know how to be patient, it can be painful, especially when you know what you have. I’ve been in top Nollywood circles where people would praise me and say “we see you, you’re very good.” And when they are working, they would cast others in projects. I kept asking, why. But a scripture says, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I would say of the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress, in Him shall I trust.” When God is putting you together for a time, he gives you the heart and the capacity to be patient. Things may not go right, but you know you’re incubating in his timeline. A lot of times, why some pasgtors get it wrong is not because they do not have the capacity to heal or do things, but when God says this is the time you will come out, we sometimes try to help him because we know the timeline. 

But I am a true representation of the Book of Ecclesiastes 3:11, which says, in His time, He makes all things beautiful. I realise that all the films I made between 2018 and 2023 just got stuck. It was different things. For example, Cordelia was shot in 2021, uploaded on Prime, and removed within a week. From that time, it was from one thing to the other. To Kill a Monkey was shot in 2023 but was in edit for almost two years before its release on July 18, 2025, Cordelia came out the same day. Another film was also released the next film. Back-to-back, all my pending films were coming out. 

I was still going out after To Kill A Monkey, and nothing was forthcoming. I went to church and my pastor told me that in 72 hours, my name would be on everyone’s lips, and it happened. In that 72 hours, places I used to go, I couldn’t go there the way I used to again. I was at a function on the high table, and someone sitting far away from me recorded me, zoomed in and posted it on Instagram and tagged me. A lot happened that when I look at it I know that when you wait on God, He will celebrate you. It is God who is celebrating me, and I cannot take the credit away from Him. 

Would it be fair to say that spiritual direction brought you back to film? 

Yes. Life without instructions lacks direction. God guides us by providing instructions, and if you do not follow it, you will falter. A lot of times, people run on others’ purpose. It is obvious even in the way we run the industry. When one person creates an idea and pushes it out, everybody jumps on it without even knowing how or why. It is what God wills for you that He protects. Outside His will for you, you’re endangering yourself. When my pastor kept emphasising film, it became clear that God’s plan for me was to return to it. A scripture came to mind at the time – “Believe in God, you shall be established, believe in His prophet, and you shall prosper. God doesn’t talk anyhow, which is why He is called the longsuffering God. He knows the beginning to the end, but if you are not patient to listen, you won’t get the instruction. 

Right now, I am working on my own film, the story of Idia… it is titled The War General. It is for next year.