Nollywood actress and filmmaker Bolaji Ogunmola has observed herself on the middle of a demanding ordeal after an airline’s repeated flight delays left her stranded in Ekiti State, threatening the achievement of her cutting-edge movie manufacturing and ensuing in extensive economic losses. The actress, who had invested over ₦20 million in her new project, found out that mismanaged airline scheduling has fee her valuable manufacturing time and brought on good sized disruption for her forged and group in Lagos.
Stranded on the Airport, Production on Hold
Ogunmola mentioned that her problems started out upon arriving on the Ekiti State airport on a Wednesday. She checked in as scheduled, watching for to fly to Lagos to supervise the primary day of shooting. Instead, she have become trapped in a sequence of endless delays and abrupt rescheduling via way of means of the airline, which did not offer a clean opportunity plan. “I’m nevertheless on the airport, via way of means of the manner, and I’ve cried my eyes out this morning. I’m prepurported to be on set. It’s the primary day of my manufacturing, and I’ve spent over 15 to twenty million looking to produce this movie… and I’m nevertheless here!” Ogunmola shared in a video message to her followers.
After the preliminary delay, the airline in the end canceled her flight, leaving her with little desire however to live in a single day in a neighborhood motel. The following morning, the airline moved the departure time more than one times, main to similarly frustration as hopes of arriving on set dwindled with every new announcement. “They stated they had been going to fly at eight am. I were given to the airport at 6:30. Then it modified to 9:30. Later they stated 12. Now they’re announcing 5:30,” she explained, highlighting her powerlessness withinside the face of mounting delays.
Mounting Financial Losses and Crew Confusion
The state of affairs prolonged past non-public inconvenience. Ogunmola advised her target target market that actors, restaurants, and rented places in Lagos waited idly for her arrival. She pressured that it become now no longer simply her personal money and time at stake, however additionally the livelihoods of the manufacturing group and contractors. “It’s now no longer handiest my time they’re toying with. This is my supply of livelihood. Everybody simply says ‘sorry’ to me. What am I prepurported to do? I’m actually caught here.”
Adding to the frustration, Ogunmola stated the airline’s personnel provided little withinside the manner of regret or proactive support. Communication become sparse, leaving her feeling remoted as time-touchy duties slipped away. Desperate to salvage her project, Ogunmola made the unstable selection to adventure to Lagos via way of means of road—a path she defined as dangerous however in the end important to preserve her movie from collapsing earlier than it started out.
Legal Action and Call for Accountability
With losses mounting, Ogunmola introduced her goal to pursue prison movement towards the airline. She said that her public court cases had been now no longer publicity-in search of however had been as a substitute supposed as documentation for lawyers. “I’m now no longer the character to name out anybody…. But I simply want to have evidence,” she emphasized.
The movie industry, infamous for complicated logistics and tight schedules, is frequently on the mercy of outside factors—aleven though misplaced time regularly interprets to misplaced money. Ogunmola’s enjoy highlights how unreliable delivery can seriously undermine movie productions, particularly while already-sizeable investments are on the road and a unmarried day of put off can develop into a economic headache.
Broader Implications for Nollywood Productions
Bolaji Ogunmola’s catch 22 situation attracts interest to the demanding situations confronted via way of means of Nigerian filmmakers, who need to navigate now no longer simplest the innovative complexities of manufacturing however additionally the infrastructural hurdles extraordinary to the region. As Nollywood strives for more global reputation and better manufacturing values, setbacks like those spotlight the continuing want for dependable air tour and expert requirements in helping industries.
While Ogunmola’s prison efforts can also additionally bring about reimbursement for her loss, the incident has already shaken her self assurance in airlines—and possibly that of fellow manufacturers who rely upon well timed tour to maintain their productions afloat. As audiences look ahead to her movie’s release, the tale in the back of the cameras is serving as a cautionary story approximately what can pass incorrect while the clouds of uncertainty hover over even the best-laid manufacturing plans.
