{"id":2063598,"date":"2025-10-02T04:08:34","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T04:08:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2063598"},"modified":"2025-10-02T04:08:34","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T04:08:34","slug":"olamide-funke-akindele-and-8-other-nigerian-celebs-who-said-they-were-done-with-fame-but-came-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/olamide-funke-akindele-and-8-other-nigerian-celebs-who-said-they-were-done-with-fame-but-came-back\/","title":{"rendered":"Olamide, Funke Akindele and 8 Other Nigerian Celebs Who Said They Were Done With Fame But Came Back"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Every few years, a Nigerian celebrity announces they\u2019re done with acting or music. Sometimes it\u2019s \u201cI need to focus on family.\u201d Other times it\u2019s \u201cthe passion is gone.\u201d And occasionally, it\u2019s just genuine frustration with the industry.<\/p>\n

But if there\u2019s one thing we\u2019ve learned, it\u2019s that in Nigerian entertainment, retirement is never really retirement. The industry has a way of dragging its faves back, and honestly? We don\u2019t mind.<\/p>\n

Here are the stars who swore they were done with fame only to spin the block and make a comeback.<\/p>\n

1. Funke Akindele<\/h2>\n

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Known for:<\/strong> Playing relatable, everyday Nigerian woman<\/p>\n

Left in: <\/strong>2022<\/p>\n

Returned<\/strong>: 2023<\/p>\n

When Funke Akindele announced in 2022 that she was putting acting on hold to join politics, her fans were shocked. After all, Jenifa had become a household name among viewers.<\/p>\n

Akindele explained her decision to step away from Nollywood at the time was difficult but necessary. Speaking with Punch, she described it as \u201ca huge personal sacrifice\u201d and stressed that \u201cno sacrifice is too huge for the actualisation of the urgent mission to rescue our people and our dear state.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, she lost the gubernatorial elections and has since returned to Nollywood. In just a few years of her comeback, she\u2019s delivered record-breaking blockbusters like A Tribe Called Judah and Everybody Loves Jenifa.<\/p>\n

2. WAJE\u00a0<\/h2>\n

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Known for:<\/strong> R & B music<\/p>\n

Left in: <\/strong>2019<\/p>\n

In 2019, WAJE stunned fans when she admitted she was ready to quit music. \u201cI\u2019m frustrated, I am really tired. I no longer believe that this thing is working,\u201d she confessed in a viral video<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The singer explained that constant spending on promotion was draining her: \u201cMy music has been taking the bulk of the money and I am not willing to put money there anymore.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Less than three weeks after announcing her exit, Waje said she changed her mind, motivated partly by positive responses from fans and people who appreciated her work. Since then, she has released songs like \u201cVibes<\/a>\u201d with Falz.<\/p>\n

3. Deyemi Okanlawon<\/h2>\n

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Known for:<\/strong> playing Villain in movies<\/p>\n

Left in: <\/strong>2019<\/p>\n

Returned<\/strong>: 2020<\/p>\n

In 2019, Deyemi shocked Nollywood fans when he announced he was done with acting. He was tired of uninspiring roles and paychecks that weren\u2019t matching his talent. In his own words to Independent Newspaper<\/a>: \u201cI wasn\u2019t getting roles that excited me, nor the kind of pay I could take home to my family.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Nollywood wasn\u2019t done with him. After COVID, Deyemi pulled a fast one on retirement and made a big-screen comeback in Omo Ghetto: The Saga. Since then, he\u2019s been unstoppable, from Blood Sisters (one of Netflix\u2019s most-watched Nigerian originals) to King of Boys: The Return of the King.<\/p>\n

Moral of the story? You can\u2019t really cancel Nollywood\u2019s ultimate villain.<\/p>\n

4. Olamide<\/h2>\n

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Known for:<\/strong> Street Pop Music<\/p>\n

Left in: <\/strong>2020
Returned<\/strong>: 2024<\/p>\n

From Bariga to Billboard, Olamide\u2019s story is pure legend. With classics like \u201cOmo To Shan\u201d and \u201cBobo,\u201d he defined an entire sound and culture. But then he took the back seat, focusing on building his record label, YBNL, even though he was featured in some songs.<\/p>\n

However, in a candid chat with BET<\/a> after dropping his 2024 EP Ikigai, Olamide admitted he never thought he\u2019d return to recording his own songs.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been taking time out from doing my own personal project for the longest. At some point, I actually thought I wouldn\u2019t make music anymore. I\u2019d just be in the studio writing [for others] and all that,\u201d he shared.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Yet music clearly wasn\u2019t done with him. The project, featuring Fireboy DML, Asake, Pheelz, and YoungBoy, stormed the charts and debuted at #13 on the Billboard World Albums chart,\u00a0 a reminder that Baddo\u2019s place as king of street pop is not shaking anytime soon.<\/p>\n

5. Uche Elendu<\/h2>\n

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Known for:<\/strong> playing Village girl in movies\u00a0<\/p>\n

Left in: <\/strong>2010<\/p>\n

Returned<\/strong>: 2012<\/p>\n

Uche Elendu made her Nollywood debut in 2001\u2019s Fear of the Unknown and quickly became a household name. But in 2010, she stepped away from the screen completely.<\/p>\n

As she explained to Vanguard<\/a>: \u201cNaturally, as a woman who just got married and started having children, you cannot just be everywhere. You have to dedicate time to building your home.\u201d<\/p>\n

By 2012, though, Uche was back to acting. These days, she\u2019s built a loyal online following on YouTube, dropping films that regularly pull in views. She\u2019s also starred in hits like Monica the Church Girl alongside Nollywood veteran Eucharia Anunobi.<\/p>\n

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Subscribe to Zikoko Pop newsletter, The Feed, for the most important pop culture news<\/h2>\n

ALSO READ: 25 of the Hottest Men in Nollywood, Ranked by Fans\u00a0<\/a><\/h3>\n
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6. Dakore Egbuson-Akande<\/h2>\n

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Known for:<\/strong> playing Classy love interest in movies<\/p>\n

Left in: <\/strong>2011<\/p>\n

Returned<\/strong>: 2017<\/p>\n

At the peak of her career in the 2000s, Dakore seemed unstoppable, easily one of Nollywood\u2019s most loved faces. Then, almost suddenly, she disappeared from the scene.\u00a0<\/p>\n

After getting married in 2011, she took an acting break. \u201cWhen I got married, I decided to focus on nurturing my family, which took me out of the spotlight for almost six years,\u201d she shared in a conversation with This Day.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But Dakore isn\u2019t the kind of actress who can just quietly fade away. When she returned to acting in 2017, she came back with a bang, reminding everyone why she\u2019s still a favourite in Nollywood. Since then, she has starred in major blockbusters like Isoken, Chief Daddy, and A Sunday Affair.<\/p>\n

7. Terry G<\/h2>\n

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Known for:<\/strong> Afrobeats music<\/p>\n

Left in: <\/strong>2024<\/p>\n

Returned<\/strong>: 2025<\/p>\n

In 2009, Terry G. made his big break with Free Madness, which became a cultural anthem. But in 2018 stop putting out music.<\/p>\n

Fast forward to 2024, and Terry G publicly announced through his personal Instagram account that he was finally quitting music.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI know it\u2019s going to hurt a lot of people, but I\u2019ve my personal reasons. I\u2019m quitting music. I\u2019m done. And I really appreciate you guys for showing me so much love,\u201d the post read.\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, he made a U-turn by September 2025 when he declared he would never retire from music<\/a> because it is his blood. His attempted \u201cgoodbye\u201d turned into the ultimate hype for a comeback, complete with fresh collaborations and renewed energy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

8. Ifu Ennada<\/h2>\n

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Known for:<\/strong> Being a Big Brother Naija housemate\u00a0<\/p>\n

Left in: <\/strong>2020<\/p>\n

Returned<\/strong>: 2023<\/p>\n

Ifu Ennada\u2019s acting journey has been anything but straightforward. After her breakout shortly after leaving the Big Brother Naija house, she abruptly quit acting in 2020, right at the peak of COVID.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While speaking with Punch<\/a>, the reality TV star shared that the decision to quit was borne out of her need to focus on her business. \u201cI have not been acting for about three years now. I decided to take a break to focus on my business. I wanted something that would fit my lifestyle, which I would be able to take a break from,\u201d she admitted.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now, she\u2019s teasing a return, promising projects that match her brand and values, including a feature film with producer Martin Gbados.\u00a0<\/p>\n

9. Blessing Asibe<\/h2>\n

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Known for:<\/strong> Playing Amaka in SuperStory<\/p>\n

Left in: <\/strong>2012<\/p>\n

Returned<\/strong>: 2024<\/p>\n

In 2024, Blessing made her big Nollywood comeback after a 12-year break. She quit acting in 2012, right after playing the unforgettable \u2018Amaka\u2019 in Wale Adenuga\u2019s SuperStory.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She withheld her reasons for leaving, only telling Punch, \u201cI left the scene for personal reasons, and I don\u2019t want to talk about them. I travelled out of the country. I went to do other things, but I had to come back, because it felt like \u2018Amaka\u2019 was stuck to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Amaka never really left people\u2019s minds, and the pressure for her return finally pulled her back on screen. She\u2019s since starred in Break His Pockets, Misplaced Trust, and Exousia.\u00a0<\/p>\n

10. Nonso Diobi<\/h2>\n

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Known for:<\/strong> playing Loverboy in movies<\/p>\n

Left in: <\/strong>2017<\/p>\n

Returned:<\/strong> 2023<\/p>\n

Nonso Diobi was one of the OG sweethearts of old Nollywood who engraved his name in the hearts of many Nollywood lovers. In 2001, the actor made his debut in the movie Border Line and since then, he has starred in more than 80 movies.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But in 2017, Nonso suddenly disappeared from the acting scene. In an interview with Hip TV<\/a>, the thespian later shared that he quit acting to get better. \u201cI always take time off acquire more knowledge, and to kep giving my fans what they want,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He returned to Nollywood in 2023 and, since then, he has featured in a number of YouTube movies.<\/p>\n

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ALSO READ: 20 of the Most Bankable Nollywood Stars of the 21st Century<\/a> <\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n