Nollywood actress and filmmaker, Bolaji Ogunmola, has publicly criticised an airline after being stranded at the Ekiti State airport for over 24 hours, a disruption she said forced her to miss the opening day of her ₦20 million film production.
In an emotional video shared on Instagram, Ogunmola detailed how repeated flight delays, cancellations and constant rescheduling left her distressed and unable to arrive on set in Lagos, where filming was scheduled to begin.
“I’m still at the airport and I’ve cried my eyes out this morning,” she said. “Today is the first day of my production. I have actors and crew on set. I booked a restaurant, booked everything, and I’m still here. I’ve spent between ₦15 million and ₦20 million on this film.”
The actress explained that she arrived at the airport on Wednesday for a scheduled flight to Lagos but was informed of a delay, which later turned into a full cancellation, forcing her to spend the night in a motel.
“I was told the flight was delayed, then eventually cancelled. I asked what the plan was because I needed to get to Lagos, but there was no clear answer,” she recounted.
According to Ogunmola, she returned to the airport early Thursday morning after being assured of an 8am flight, only to experience further postponements.
“They moved it from 8am to 9:30, then to 12 noon, and now they’re saying 5:30pm. Meanwhile, I’m supposed to be on set already,” she said.
The filmmaker expressed frustration over what she described as poor communication and a lack of accountability from the airline, noting that the delay affected not just her but her entire production crew.
“It’s not just my time they are playing with. This is my livelihood. My crew is already on set waiting. All I keep hearing is ‘sorry’. What exactly am I supposed to do?” she lamented.
Ogunmola revealed that she had decided to travel by road to Lagos despite safety concerns, saying she had no choice but to get to work. She added that her legal team would be taking up the matter.
“I have to go by road, which is unsafe, but I need to work. My lawyers will handle this. I needed evidence of what’s going on. There’s no remorse, no decency,” she said.
Clarifying her intention, the actress noted that she was not seeking attention or drama but documenting her experience for legal purposes.
“I’m not here to shout or fight anyone. I just need to have evidence,” she added.
⸻