Nollywood actress, Nse Ikpe-Etim, has revealed that she was repeatedly advised early in her career to conceal her roots in Akwa Ibom State in order to advance professionally.
She made this known during an interview while reflecting on her experiences in the film industry and the subtle pressures surrounding cultural identity.
In 2022, Nse Ikpe-Etim featured in the movie The American King, where she portrayed an African high priestess alongside Akon, who played an ex-convict.
In the film, she incorporated the Ibibio language as a reflection of her heritage.
According to her, “No matter the script, you cannot stop me from speaking my Ibibio dialect on a movie set. You cannot bring language discrimination to me.”
Sharing further perspective, she highlighted how language bias affects many Nigerians outside the major ethnic groups.
Me: It is not funny, but language discrimination is what people who are not Igbo, Hausa, or Yoruba face every day. When you speak your language, they make a jest of it.
She also described encounters where individuals are judged based on their origin, noting that some people often express surprise when they learn where she is from.
I know a particular tribe that does this the most. They walk up to you and start speaking their language. When you tell them you cannot hear what they are saying, and you tell them where you are from, you hear them say something like, “Oh, you are too pretty to be from there. You look like us,” or “Why?”
Referencing a recent public reaction during Hilda Baci cookathon, she pointed out how such sentiments are echoed online.
During Hilda Baci’s cookathon, someone posted on TikTok: “Why would this girl come from Akwa Ibom?” Huh! Respect people.
She concluded by stressing that such seemingly minor attitudes contribute to deeper divisions within society.
Little things like this divide us and make us hate each other.”
