Veteran Nollywood actress Ronke Oshodi-Oke has said that if she is ever seen backing a politician, it should not be mistaken for genuine political loyalty, but a matter of personal survival.
The actress made the disclosure during an appearance on the digital talk show, Africa A-List, in a clip that has since gone viral and stirred reactions on social media.
Speaking directly to her fans, she made clear that any future endorsement of a political figure would be driven by financial need rather than conviction.
“My people, if you ever see me standing behind a politician, just know Ronke wants to eat,” the actress stated during the broadcast. “She is looking for something to put food on her table. Try to understand and don’t drag me.”
In the same interview, the actress spoke about a difficult health struggle she went through, disclosing that she once spent as much as N800,000 every month on medication.
She credited God, popular Lagos political figure MC Oluomo, and some of her colleagues in the industry for standing by her through the ordeal, describing their support as the reason she is alive today.
“Thank God that He is God, and thanks to MC Oluomo and my colleagues who kept me alive today. Do you know what it means for someone to buy drugs worth N800,000 every month?
Ronke also disclosed that her illness brought an unexpected gesture from fellow actress Sotayo, with whom she had not been on speaking terms for years following a fallout.
According to her, the two had gone without communicating for about five to six years, but Sotayo reached out with financial support as soon as she learned of the illness.
“Take Sotayo, I don’t just mention names lightly but I will mention hers. Sotayo and I hadn’t spoken in a long time, not that we were at war, but we had a little disagreement. The last time Sotayo and I spoke was five or six years ago. But when she heard that I fell sick, she sent me N150,000,” she said.
Despite the gesture, Ronke revealed that the two have yet to fully reconcile, noting that they still avoid each other at public events.
“If we meet at a party, we bypass each other without greeting,” she said.