Tag: Ruth Kadiri

Actress and producer Ruth Kadiri has emphasised the importance of staying true to oneself in the entertainment industry.

In an interview with Jay On Air, Kadiri revealed that her priority is maintaining personal happiness and fulfillment, rather than seeking external validation.

She said: “The last thing I want to do as a person is to lose myself in the process of being an entertainer. I need to be able to keep the wealth of happiness, of fulfillment for myself whilst growing and building what I want to build. And I’m not going to let anybody sway me”.

With a career spanning over two decades, Kadiri has established herself as a multifaceted talent, having worked behind the scenes as a writer and producer on several notable projects.

“Okay, so I haven’t been counting. I’ve been into entertainment for a very long time.

“Even when I was in Unilag, I was already into entertainment. So there are so many aspects of it for me. I started behind the scenes as a writer.

Read Also: Shaffy Bello gets 2025 AMAA award nomination for ‘Best Actress’

“Beautiful movies were shot in Ghana. Amazing hits were written by me”, she said. 

According to her, trusting her instincts and having a clear vision for her work has been key to her success.

“It wasn’t as easy. People were already making films on YouTube. It wasn’t something that I was so aware of.

“I didn’t understand the business. I didn’t understand how it was. And it wasn’t so appealing at that time.

“But when I wanted to do it, I knew how my own was going to go. Most times when I want to do something, I know when it’s going to succeed. I don’t know how I know, but I know”, she added.

Kadiri noted that she often finds herself misunderstood by others, particularly when it comes to her long-term goals.

She said: “I would say, because people don’t understand the long-term goals. And you also probably, if you have energy to explain, you do. If you don’t, you just keep it short.

“With the tools and the opportunities like YouTube and lots of platforms, I expect entertainers to be going crazy and wild and creating things and stuff like that. All those things we wrote in our journals, we are not doing it anymore”.

Actress and producer Ruth Kadiri has opened up about how her journey into acting and screenwriting began, revealing that her first major step in the industry started with a visit to the National Theatre.

In a recent podcast with Jay On Air TV, Kadiri recalled how her passion for the arts led her to discover screenwriting.

“Growing up in the slum and getting out of it wasn’t really easy and I remember going to National Theatre. I went there, I wanted to act. I got there and there were like 1000 people or more, I just look everywhere, I said, ‘there’s no way I’m getting this role. The crowd is so much, there’s a lot of people that are intimidating you,’ and then I saw a notice that says screenwriting and stuff, I think maybe it was God. I just sha went into the office,” she said.

Kadiri explained that what followed was a stroke of luck that changed her life forever.

“I got there, I saw the man, he had three students I think they were waiting for the fourth one that one wasn’t coming, I said ‘sir please me I want to write’ he’s like ‘you have to pay.’ I said ‘I don’t have transport to even go home.’ He said ‘okay you can come.’ So it was free. He added me to his class for free and he taught me the basics.”

That opportunity, she revealed, became the foundation of her career.

“Doing that basic literally got me to where I am today because when I wrote my first script, that movie became a hit. I wrote that script and the producer obviously did not believe in me. I think he sent it out. He sent it to Tonto Dike and Uche Jombo and a couple of them, and I think Tonto kept telling him ‘oh this script, I really like it, I really like it.’ He didn’t even want to pay me. I didn’t care, I was like ‘just give me small role’ so he came back and said ‘okay let’s shoot it. I was just happy that they were going to shoot my film, my script. That one was a hit and the next one. That’s how it just started,” she said.

Actress and filmmaker Ruth Kadiri has expressed joy over Nollywood’s growing global reach, describing storytelling as her biggest passion.

In an Instagram post, Kadiri marveled at how Nigerian stories now travel “from Lagos to London, from cinemas to phones in people’s hands.”

She also shared her thoughts on the industry’s progress and her hopes for its future in a feature on the Google Africa blog, thanking the platform for the spotlight.

Kadiri said the opportunity to share Nigerian stories with a worldwide audience is what inspires her every day.

Kadiri wrote, “Storytelling is who I am. Every scene, every script, every character carries a piece of us. Nollywood made it possible for me to share that passion with the world.

Read Also: KieKie, Ruth Kadiri, others emerge YouTube’s top Nigerian female creators

“What blows my mind is how far our stories now travel, from Lagos to London, from cinemas to phones in people’s hands. That keeps me going every single day.

“I share some reflections about this journey and the future I dream of for Nollywood on the Google Africa blog. Link in bio. Thank you @Google for the spotlight”.

Actress and producer Ruth Kadiri has explained why she prefers her private life out of the public domain.

In a recent appearance on the Dear Ife series with Ifedayo Agoro, Kadiri said this decision has been one of the best she’s ever made.

According to her, keeping marriage private has helped to stay grounded and focused, allowing to define her relationship without external influences.

Read Also: KieKie, Ruth Kadiri, others emerge YouTube’s top Nigerian female creators

Kadiri emphasised that this approach has also given her husband the freedom to live his life without public pressure.

While she clarified that she’s not hiding her husband, she prefers to keep their relationship private, allowing them to maintain a sense of normalcy. 

“I think it was the best decision I ever made because it has helped me stay grounded. It has helped me define my relationship. I don’t have external factors deciding how I deal or relate with my spouse. People do not know him, so there is no pressure on his end.

“Marital pressures as celebrities is also something we don’t talk about a lot so and seeing that my career is thriving at this point, I keep telling myself thank God there’s an aspect of me that I can stand on and control.

“My husband is not a secret. My life is not as private as people think. People who know me know him. That’s enough. I’m not hiding my husband. We go to church together, events they post his pictures. Most events I organize, he is there. Check his social media page, he posts only word of God not even his pictures. He is private,” she said.

Filmmaker and actress Ruth Kadiri has been honoured by YouTube as one of the top four female creators redefining creativity and shaping the platform for cultural storytelling and global connection.

Kadiri, on Instagram, expressed gratitude to God and YouTube for the recognition. 

Ruth, whose YouTube channel has gained significant popularity, is thankful for the opportunity to share her passion for movie-making with a global audience.

She said: “The other day, YouTube celebrated its 20th anniversary,. I had the surreal honour of being recognised as one of four female creators who are redefining the boundaries of creativity and shaping YouTube into a beacon for cultural storytelling and global connection.

Read Also: Ruth Kadiri speaks on wedding anxiety, social pressure

“To be named one of the top female YouTubers in Nigeria is something I never imagined when I first started sharing my passion for movie-making with the world. What began as a simple desire to tell stories has grown into something far beyond my expectations.

“I’m deeply grateful to God for the grace, the gift, and the growth. Thank you to @youtube for this incredible recognition, and thank you, my amazing community, for walking this journey with me. I love you all. Here’s to more stories, flavour and a world of impact”.

Actor Linc Edochie has praised his colleague Ruth Kadiri for the efforts in bringing Pat Attah back to the industry.

According to Linc, Ruth’s efforts to reunite Pat Attah with Nollywood are “overwhelming” and a testament to her dedication to her craft.

Pat Attah, a household name in the 90s and early 2000s, had taken a break from the industry.

Read Also: Ruth Kadiri appeals to FG over lack of vaccination in hospitals

In a video, Linc highlighted the achievements of female directors in Nollywood, mentioning notable names like Mo Abudu, Funke Akindele, Uche Jombo and many others.

Actress and filmmaker, Ruth Kadiri, has pledged to revolutionise the Nigerian cinema industry with her films.

On Instagram, she outlined her vision to transform the industry’s standards, asserting that her innovative mindset sets her apart and that she doesn’t depend on others for promotion.

Kadiri said she is committed to creating a lasting brand that earns audience trust, ensuring her movies are consistently worth watching without excessive persuasion.

She emphasised her patient approach, building a solid foundation to establish her brand as a household name.

Read Also: Why I upload my movies on YouTube – Ruth Kadiri

She said: “The way my brain functions!!!! I ask myself what would become of my BRAND if I had no promotional help from someone!!!

“Truthfully I don’t bank on anyone so when you choose not to offer help I’m really not bothered.

“I’ll change the pattern in Nigerian cinema, I promise you all!

“You’ll watch my movie not because someone begged you to watch it! But because you Trust ME!

“I’m here to build a brand of longevity that definitely doesn’t require constant begging!

“I Ruth Kadiri isn’t in a hurry don’t worry about that! Building a solid structure is all I’m about! So when you see that opening credit that has my eye on it! You know your money/data is never gonna be wasted.”