“I have never been paid more than ₦20k for movie role” — Mama Ajirotutu recounts ₦2,500 rent struggles

Veteran Nollywood actress Esther Oluwaranti Moradeke Adebayo popularly known as Mama Ajirotutu has opened up about her painful financial struggles and unexpected breakthrough moments in the film industry, sharing how her situation changed for better in 2024.

In her emotional account, she recalled a period in 2024 when she was barely surviving and even struggling to pay rent in Idi-Iroko, Ogun State.

She said:
“life have been so difficult to the extent that i was owing a 2,500naira house rent for months at Idi-Iroko Ogun State that the landlord associations had to increase the rent to 6k just to push me to pack out because they know i won’t be able to afford it ..Just few months to the increment, that was 2024, God sent actor Aremu Afolayan to me who rented apartments for me in Ikorodu and paid for 3 years , called his friends abroad who donated money for me and Aremu bought her fridge, and things started getting better when i moved to Ikorodu.”

According to her, that intervention by actor Aremu Afolayan marked a turning point in her life, as she moved into a new apartment in Ikorodu and began to experience some stability after years of hardship.

She also revealed a shocking improvement in her career earnings in 2026, saying she finally received her first major payment in decades of acting.

She stated:
“Shocking, this year 2026, Azeez ijaduade (Ola) called me for work and paid me 150k the money i have never in my ENTIRE CAREER recieved before. That was the first time i would ever recieved such amount for role.”

She added that her previous earnings in the industry were extremely low and discouraging, often far below expectations:

“What i was usually paid was never more than 20k , atmost 30k which is even unusual. when she tells them to pay 30,000 they usually under price her to 20k or even less 😨 😟”
The actress further disclosed that she also received another positive opportunity in 2026 when filmmaker Toyin Abraham’s husband, Kolawole Ajeyemi (Ajewole), called her for a movie role and offered her a good payment, further boosting her morale and career outlook.

Her story has sparked reactions online, with many highlighting the struggles of veteran actors in Nollywood and the importance of industry support for aging performers.

Mama Ajirotutu, whose real name is Esther Oluwaranti Moradeke Adebayo (also known as Mama Radeke or Iya Ajirotutu), is a veteran Nigerian actress in the Yoruba film industry and broader Nollywood scene. She is celebrated for her powerful and versatile performances, often portraying elderly, authoritative, or “witchy/wicked” mother figures that have become iconic in many Yoruba movies, including the popular film Odunbaku. She began her acting journey in the late 1990s through stage plays before making her mark in home videos, earning admiration for her transformative ability to embody much older characters despite her relatively youthful real-life appearance.