VIDEO: I quit acting in 2019 over poor pay, mediocre work – Deyemi Okanlawon
July 1, 2026 12:18 pm
Deyemi Okanlawon. Credit: Nollywire
Nollywood actor Deyemi Okanlawon has revealed that he quit acting in 2019 because he was dissatisfied with the remuneration and no longer found the work fulfilling.
The actor made the disclosure during a recent episode of the CreativiTea podcast, which began trending on Wednesday.
Speaking about his career, Okanlawon said he decided to leave the movie industry after becoming frustrated with the quality of work and the financial rewards.
According to him, he did not leave a corporate career only to settle for what he described as mediocre work.
“So, I quit acting in 2019. I quit because the pay was nonsense, the work was nonsense. And I just felt like I didn’t leave 9-to-5 work to come and do mediocre work,” he said.
The actor added that the lack of fulfilment made it difficult for him to remain motivated.
“It was difficult to wake up in the morning and go to work, and what is the point of being passionate about something and then not being fulfilled by it? So I quit and then went back to 9-to-5 work,” he said.
Watch the video below:
𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎: 𝐈 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐲, 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐜𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 – 𝐃𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐦𝐢 𝐎𝐤𝐚𝐧𝐥𝐚𝐰𝐨𝐧
Credit: IG | thecreativiteapodcast
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Hannah Johnson is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over three years of professional experience in reporting, storytelling, and digital content creation. She blends traditional reporting skills with a modern, digital-first approach to journalism, producing content tailored for both web and social platforms. Hannah is skilled at turning complex topics into clear, engaging, and relatable stories that resonate with a wide audience. Her work reflects hands-on newsroom experience, editorial judgment, and a strong commitment to accurate, audience-focused journalism.
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