In Nollywood, there are names that cannot be ignored, simply because of the work they’ve done and how well they’ve built their name to get to where they are. While we can’t list all the names, on WN Picks today, we want to look at some incredible women who have been really successful in the Nigerian movie industry.
Over the last couple of years, these women have shown the world their talent, their versatility, and how well they can interpret the roles they get.
Some of these women have also been able to spread their wings out of just acting, writing, and producing their own movies that go on to gross millions at the Nigerian box office.
They are some of the superwomen of Nollywood, and we can proudly say we stan them and will always root for them.
Sola Sobowale
She is known by many names by her fans, some of which are Toyin Tomato, Oba, King of Boys, and more. Sola Sobowale is the proper representation of an ‘action woman.’ It is no surprise when she got the role of Eniola Salami in the King of Boys movie, and everyone who watched that movie will agree no one could have played the role better.
Over the years, Sola Sobowale has been able to build a name for herself in the Nigerian movie industry, and she developed her brand to the point where she can star in almost any type of movie. She started off as a Yoruba actress but now plays even other roles.
The reason she makes WN Picks is how her brand has grown over the years and how versatile she has become.
Funke Akindele-Bello
When you say ‘Jenifa’ in the Nollywood context, everyone knows who you are referring to. The interesting thing about that is the fact that Funke Akindele-Bello has been acting even way before she did the movie Jenifa. However, the success of that movie made her move it into being a series that was highly welcomed by her fans as well.
After the success of Jenifa, she wrote and produced Omo Ghetto and then Omo Ghetto: The Saga both of which grossed millions on the Nigerian box office.
Funke Akindele-Bello is well respected for her versatility, and her ability to bring a character to life, playing her role so well that the audience gets pulled into the world of the character.
Funke Akindele-Bello is the reason people speak crooked English playfully and others find them cool.
Toyin Abraham Ajeyemi
She is one actress that can play a serious role and play it to perfection and also play a comic role and make you laugh and roll off your chair. Toyin Abraham is creative, funny, and versatile.
This shows in how her movies are written, and one we can easily point to is the ‘Ghost and the Tout’ which was premiered in 2018.
The success of the movie prompted her to make a second part and the two movies raked in millions for the actress.
Genevieve Nnaji
She is one of those who we have seen on our screens since the days of Old Nollywood who still stays relevant till now.
Genevieve Nnaji is one of the Nollywood sweethearts, simply because of how beautiful and young she stays even with her age. But that is not all. Her talent and how well she plays her roles are what some young actresses look up to.
In 2018, she co-wrote and directed Lionheart which grossed millions at the Nigerian box office.
Conclusion
It is important to note that the women highlighted in the WN Picks for this article are picked based on the writer’s presence and the arrangement of their names is not in the order of importance.
While there are many other successful women in the Nigerian movie industry, these are the ones the writer finds most interesting to highlight based on their brand and how successful they are in the industry.