Veteran Nollywood actress Fausat Balogun, popularly known as Madam Saje, has shared raw details of her difficult early days in the industry. In a recent interview with The African List, the seasoned star recalled the tough times before fame finally arrived.
She admitted that survival was so hard that she and her colleagues once had to steal food to get by. Fausat also revealed they shot entire movies without earning a single kobo and returned home empty-handed.
“Anyone who says they don’t face challenges in this job is lying. I suffered a lot in this job. My sufferings have turned to joy. We went to shoot a movie at a school, didn’t make any money, and came back empty-handed. We had a moment where we went to steal food to survive. I remember a place in Oyo State where they sold Amala: you pay in one place and collect soup elsewhere. The little money we had, we would manage to eat.”
She went on to drop a piece of advice for people enduring hardships like she once did, promising that the suffering doesn’t last forever and that their time to enjoy would come.
“Don’t be faster than your destiny, wait for your time. When your time comes, it will be like you did a money ritual.”
The actress went further to explain how her passion for acting affected her education. She stopped at primary school because she chose to pursue acting full time. That decision, she said, limited her opportunities in the English-speaking side of Nollywood and affected her command of the language. Yet, she remains grateful for the highly educated colleagues God has brought into her life.
Fausat’s story has struck a chord with many fans who see her today as a symbol of resilience. she has since enjoyed major wins, including a recent big-money endorsement deal she proudly announced.
Her very obvious message to upcoming talents is to stay patient and trust the process. The video of the interview continues to circulate online, drawing praise for her honesty and inspiring comments from fellow aspiring talents and fans.