Nollywood actress and filmmaker Bolaji Ogunmola has publicly called out an airline after being left stranded at the Ekiti State airport for more than 24 hours, a situation she says has put her new multi-million naira film production in serious jeopardy.
A Costly Delay for Film Production
In a distressed video shared on her Instagram page, Ogunmola revealed that the extensive travel disruption has directly impacted the first day of shooting for her new film. She disclosed that she has already committed over ₦20 million to the project, with resources sitting idle in Lagos.
"I’m supposed to be on set. It’s the first day of TOC’s production," she explained. "I booked actors, a restaurant, everything. I’ve spent over 15 to 20 million trying to produce this film… and I’m still here." The actress emphasized that the delay was not just an inconvenience but a direct threat to her livelihood, with a full crew, paid locations, and other arrangements waiting for her arrival.
Sequence of Frustrating Events
The ordeal began on Wednesday when Ogunmola checked in for her flight, only to be informed of a delay. The situation worsened when the airline later cancelled the flight entirely, offering no immediate alternative to passengers.
Left with no choice, the actress spent the night in a local motel and returned to the airport early on Thursday morning, hoping a rescheduled flight would depart. However, she was met with a series of further postponements. "They said they were going to fly at 8 am. I woke up at 5 am, got to the airport at 6:30. Then it changed to 9:30. Later they said 12. Now they are saying 5:30," she narrated in frustration.
Ogunmola highlighted that the core issue was the lack of clear communication and remorse from the airline. "It’s not only my time they’re toying with. This is my source of livelihood. Everybody just says ‘sorry’ to me. What am I supposed to do? I’m literally stuck here," she stated.
Taking a Risky Road Trip and Legal Action
Faced with mounting financial losses and a non-responsive airline, Ogunmola made a difficult decision. Concerned for her safety but desperate to salvage her production, she opted to travel from Ekiti to Lagos by road.
"I have to go by road, which is very unsafe, but I need to get to work," she said. The actress clarified that her social media post was not for drama but to document the incident for legal purposes. "My lawyers will take this up. I just needed evidence of what was going on. They are not remorseful. They are unfair," Ogunmola asserted.
She concluded by stressing her intent to seek legal redress, stating, "I’m not the person to call out anybody. I’m not going to shout. I don’t fight. But I just need to have evidence." The incident has sparked concern among fans and industry colleagues about the reliability of air travel for crucial business engagements within Nigeria.
