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Veteran Nollywood actress, Amb. Dr. Moji Oyetayo, popularly known as Mama Ajasco, has shared her inspiring journey of breaking barriers in the movie industry despite the challenges of being a plus-size actor.
The actress was recently celebrated in Atlanta, Georgia, where she was honoured with the Lifetime Impact in Cinematic Art and Humanitarian Excellence Award by the D’CEM Awards USA Team.
Speaking recently after receiving the award in an interview, Oyetayo expressed gratitude for the recognition, saying:
“I feel a sense of euphoria and I am immensely grateful to be celebrated while I can still smell the roses. My awards tell me I am doing well and people are watching. They also remind me that much is expected of me, and that has fueled my desire to strive harder.”
Known for her versatility on screen, Oyetayo revealed that her body size initially posed challenges for her career, but she refused to let it stop her.
“Being a plus-size actor can be challenging, but I beat the odds. I have a face that can easily adapt to any character and that helped me a lot,” she said.
Looking back on her early years, the actress disclosed that she initially wanted to become a newscaster but fate led her into Nollywood.
“I actually fancied being a newscaster during my youthful years, but I guess life had other plans. At the time I pursued acting, I was already working behind the scenes as an artiste manager for The Next Movie Star reality show. Later, I contested in the 12 Ambassadors of Nollywood Reality Show and emerged winner, which automatically launched me into the industry,” she explained.
Oyetayo, who is also the Chairman Emeritus of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), is a multiple award-winning actress with recognitions including the Lifetime Achievement Award from Achievers Award International and the Iconic Service to the Guild Award at the AGN Film Festival in California, among others.
Sharing her thoughts on the Nigerian film industry, the actress said Nollywood is making remarkable progress but needs more investment to maximise global opportunities.
“We are actually in a good place in the industry and creating international collaborations. We just need more funding to explore the new era of digitization on a global scale,” she said.
She also advised aspiring actors to remain focused and ignore distractions:
“There has been a lot of positive change. With social media, YouTube, and streaming platforms, the gap between actors and audiences has been bridged. Today, any actor can rise to fame without the hurdles we faced before. The future of cinematic art is unlimited and I am positively looking forward to it.”
Beyond acting, Oyetayo is passionate about humanitarian work, especially causes that support the girl child and widows. She revealed that she is currently producing her own films and sees herself transitioning more into production than acting in the coming years.
“I want to be remembered as someone who left a positive impact beyond the screen, who touched many young lives, gave back to society, and showed empathy. To whom much is given, much is expected. We are blessed to be a blessing to others,” she said.