Genevieve Nnaji is no doubt a Nollywood royalty in the Nigerian movie industry, with her journey offering major life lessons for every woman. If there were a hall of fame for thespians, this star actress’ image would take a choice position among those of her peers.
But fame and the fortune that followed did not just happen overnight for this beautiful actress. It took years of hard work, dedication, and a stubborn will to succeed to get her to the stage she is now.
Being one of the most profiled actresses in Africa, Genevieve was once described as the ”Julia Roberts of Africa” by media mogul Oprah Winfrey.
Her journey to success is one that has had its fair share of ups and downs, but just like every success story, hers has been a result of carefully made decisions and a will to succeed where many have failed.
Here are seven life lessons you can learn from Genevieve Nnaji.
1. Start small, but don’t remain there
Genevieve grew up in a relatively middle-class family in the Surulere area of Lagos. The fifth of eight children, she didn’t grow up in the lap of luxury, but with her parents’ liberal view on her artistic inclinations, Genevieve was already set for greatness. You might not have all the financial support you need to achieve your dreams, but start with what you have, and the sky will be your starting point.
2. Don’t allow your mistakes to define you
It wasn’t until later on in her career that many came to know that the beautiful young lady who stole their hearts in her breakout movie ‘Most Wanted’ was already a mother. Reports had it that Genevieve had a child as a teenager. Despite this unexpected occurrence in her life, Genevieve was able to get back on track and still get to the top of her game.
3. Take every task with the utmost level of dedication
When Genevieve was given her first minor role in 1999 to play the role of the reporter in ‘Most Wanted,’ she stepped up and delivered.
According to her, “My role was to interview Regina Askia, a former beauty queen turned actress who was a goddess at that time.” That was major. I had to pull it off like a pro, and I did it, and the producers asked me if I had done it before, and I said no. “It was after her success in this role that she started getting more roles.
ALSO READ: 5 Life Lessons Every Lady Can Learn From Bisola Aiyeola, The Woman Of Multiple Talents
4. Be willing to make hard decisions
In the year 2000, Genevieve enrolled in the university but had to drop out because it was difficult to combine academics with her acting career. “My dad didn’t find it funny,” she once said. “He wasn’t happy about it, but I kind of reassured him that I would go back, that it wasn’t over. He was mostly concerned about the amount of exposure film was going to bring me, coming from a very conservative, almost prudish home of a Catholic Igbo family.”
She later opted to continue with her acting career, a decision that later paid off.
5. Focus on being valuable first before money
Genevieve is well known for her opinion that people should not value themselves materially. According to her, “I don’t talk money because I want people to focus on work.” She believes that to be at your creative best, you should not focus on the monetary gain.
6. Make the right partnerships
Genevieve, working alongside Chinny Onwugbenu, created her production company, The Entertainment Network, TEN. Later on, the pair joined forces with Ishaya Bako, Chi-chi Nwoko, and Orie Erhueru to produce Genevieve’s first production and comeback movie, ‘The Road To Yesterday,’ a movie that has one of the highest budgets in the history of Nigerian movies. This simply proves the saying, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together.
7. Acknowledge your weaknesses, but don’t let them stop you
Genevieve is a very private person, and this can be attributed to her consciousness that she is being watched. The actress has often said that she might not be perfect, but she is conscious that she is a role model and people look up to her. This must have contributed significantly to her stellar career so far. Genevieve is an advocate for being true to oneself, and we think that is one piece of advice you should never forget from this leading lady.