By Juliet Umeh
Nollywood actress, Shaffy Bello, has said she has no desire to leave Nigeria, describing the country as home and the place that made her who she is.
“America trained me, but Nigeria made me,” Bello said during a panel discussion at “20+ Years in the Media: Real Talk with Kike @7.”
Responding to a question about what could give young people hope as they build careers in Nigeria, Bello said she continued to see opportunities in the country despite its difficulties.
“I pray I never get the opportunity, as they call it, to go back,” she said. “Yes, you’ll say because I’ve done it before. I’ve been there before. Yes, I agree with that. But because of the opportunities that I’ve seen in this country, and I am still seeing, I don’t ever want to go back. This is home, this is where it is.”
Bello acknowledged the frustrations many Nigerians face, including challenges with electricity, education and healthcare. But she urged young people to invest in themselves and make use of opportunities around them.
“Look within yourself, what do you have to offer? What is in your hands?” she said. “Whatever it is that is in your hands to offer, study, learn and prove yourself worthy of it.”
The actress also advised young people to remain authentic and committed to their craft, saying those qualities had helped sustain her career.
“For me to be here for so many years, first of all, I have to be authentic to who I am. If you lie, you keep having to remember the lies, if you tell the truth, it’s easy.”
Bello said faith had also been central to her life, urging young people to “hold God tight” as they pursued their ambitions.
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