Jemima Osunde, Nollywood actress has revealed that she intends to invest in the healthcare system from the proceeds of her acting
By Kehinde Okeowo
Nollywood actress and Doctor of Physiotherapy, Jemima Osunde, has revealed that she ventured into Nollywood as a pastime and a means of making external money to support herself while in school.
The 25-year-old actress made the revelation in a chat with Television host, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, on an episode of “Rubbin’ Minds.
According to her, she started acting because she wanted to have fun and make extra money while she was in medical school and never thought it would become a full-fledged career.
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He went on to say it was a difficult journey but she was able to combine acting professionally and school because of her determination and a little help from a friend she identified as Folakemi.
She said, ” I was in my first year when I started acting and to be honest this might be the first time I am actually admitting it, I thought acting was going to be a while in university thing, just to pass time, have some extra change to what daddy was giving me, but here we are.
“I have always wanted to do something medically inclined, so even when I started acting and it was going well, it wasn’t a thing of I would leave college of medicine for acting, it was a thing of letting me see how I can combine both. I made my debut probably in 2014, I was in my first year.”
“My parents were very supportive then but my dad’s only concern was if you say you want to do both, I won’t stop you but you just have to prove to me that one won’t suffer for the other and the one he was talking about is obviously school.
“So it was really hard but I had a lot of help, my roommate Folakemi was my go-to guy to give me updates on what I missed when I was out there acting and people were in class. you know she would write her note and I would photocopy them and read them while I am on set filming.
“To be honest, it was harder than it looked, I think because I am always smiling and I am always cheerful people forget that or they fail to see.
“There were days when I was losing my mind, there were days where I have lectures from 8 to like 12 and I have a call time of 1 pm, school is all the way in Surulere-Mushin and set is Lekki phase 1. Lagos traffic. I am in traffic and sweating, the AC is on, I am panicking.
“There were times when I am filming in different states and I have exams in Lagos or I have lectures I have to keep up with.
“All I kept telling myself all through is nobody sent me, I am the one that choose to do it, so one way or the other I will make it work, I will find a way.
The actress also said the healthcare system in Nigeria is almost non-existent and she would want to invest the funds she made from her Nollywood adventure into it in the future, since acting was just a means to an end for her.
“I’m very invested in healthcare, especially in Nigeria. We almost have no health care here, and I really have faith and hope that there’s stuff to do to improve it one way or the other.
“My entertainment is a means to an end, so as I gather my funds and I have a strategy, I can then go forward and do what I want to help the healthcare system.” Jemima Osunde said.