Nigerian actress and producer Miwa Olorunfemi is taking a deliberate approach to building her career. Alongside acting credits in films including Still Falling, Farin Jini and Love and Life, she is growing Miwa Olorunfemi TV, a YouTube platform through which she is producing original Nigerian stories and carving out her own creative path.
Although she began her career in radio, acting was always the destination. “It is not just about acting but my love for bringing stories to life. Becoming different people. Every role is different and it teaches me something new,” she tells The Nollywood Reporter. That passion eventually evolved into producing, a journey she says has been just as fulfilling as acting itself.
Finding the Story Behind Flowers for Zirachi
For her latest film, Flowers for Zirachi, Olorunfemi deliberately searched for a story that moved beyond the conventional romance without sacrificing emotional depth. The result was a film centred on trafficking and survival, told through the eyes of a young woman forced into exploitation. “Trafficking is something we hear about in a distant way and we don’t really understand what trafficked people go through,” she says.
Olorunfemi not only produced the film but also stars as Zirachi, a young woman trafficked to a ruthless pimp, Sabi, played by Lateef Adedimeji. Her fight to survive and reclaim her life forms the emotional core of the film. “I personally was excited to play Zirachi because for a while I have been looking for a challenge, something that will take me out of my comfort zone and this one did.”
Bringing the story to life demanded extensive research and a great deal of sensitivity. Some of what the team uncovered proved so disturbing that Olorunfemi questioned whether audiences would believe it if it appeared on screen.
Throughout production, she constantly reminded herself that the story reflected the lived experiences of real victims. “You quickly realise that truth is often more heartbreaking than fiction. People have lived through this kind of ordeal. It is really sad when you think about it,” she says, adding that the responsibility of portraying such experiences authentically remained at the forefront throughout the filmmaking process.
Wearing Two Hats
Playing the lead while overseeing production came with its own challenges, but Olorunfemi says trusting her team made the balancing act possible. “One minute you’re crying in a scene, the next minute you are asking if lunch has arrived or if there is fuel in the generator,” she says with a laugh. Most of her responsibilities as a producer, she explains, are handled before filming begins and after it wraps, allowing her to immerse herself in the character while cameras are rolling. “I have learned to trust my team and disappear into the character.”
Even so, the producer and the actress do not always agree. There are moments when creative ambition has to give way to practical realities, particularly when working within the limitations of a YouTube production budget. “I think the most challenging thing is when as an actor you know this would have been perfect if you could do this or that, but as a producer, where your medium is YouTube, you know you do not have the time and the luxury for certain things, and you just have to always know when to compromise and when to go all out.”
That tension surfaced during production when the team exceeded its budget to secure the perfect location for Sabi’s den. An ambulance sequence also had to be removed after they realised it would consume nearly 30 per cent of the production budget. The experience reinforced one lesson she now carries into every production: “As a producer you just have to tell yourself the truth and not shoot yourself in the foot.”
Building a Business on YouTube
For Olorunfemi, the platform has never determined the value of the work itself. “It is important to note that the medium does not define the art, so be it YouTube, cinema or any other medium, I am determined to tell good stories and make good films,” she says.
She also believes audiences deserve more variety than the industry sometimes gives them credit for. “Stories like this need to be told and they deserve to be accessible. YouTube removes a lot of barriers. Someone can discover the film from almost anywhere, start watching immediately and even share it with someone else who needs to see it.” Contrary to popular belief, she says, viewers are more than willing to engage with meaningful stories as long as they are told honestly.
Building a successful YouTube channel, however, requires far more than uploading videos. Olorunfemi says every release involves story development, production, marketing, audience engagement and consistency. For her, Miwa Olorunfemi TV is both a creative platform and a business that deserves equal attention on both fronts. The independence it offers is equally rewarding and demanding.
“It definitely gives me more freedom. I can champion stories I genuinely believe in and make creative decisions without waiting for someone else to say yes. Every success is yours, but every challenge is yours too. You carry more risk, but I think that’s also what makes the wins so rewarding. I like to see my bad moments as ‘failing forward.'”
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, Olorunfemi sees YouTube not as a destination but as the foundation for bigger opportunities. While she remains open to streaming platforms and cinema releases, her priority is continuing to tell stories that resonate regardless of where audiences watch them.
“I see YouTube as a strong foundation, not a limitation. If the right opportunities come for streaming or cinema, I’m absolutely open to them. If they connect with people, the platform becomes the second conversation.”
She is also eager to keep challenging herself creatively, ensuring audiences never know exactly what to expect from a Miwa Olorunfemi TV production. For now, her hope is that Flowers for Zirachi leaves viewers reflecting long after the credits roll. “It’s emotional, it’s suspenseful, it’s uncomfortable in the right ways, and I hope it stays with you after the credits roll. I know we made something beautiful because we have gotten good reviews so far and I am hoping more people get to see it.”
Flowers for Zirachi stars Miwa Olorunfemi, Lateef Adedimeji, Gift Igah, Agatha Gambo, Chinedum Odiaka and Austine Ephraim. The film is directed by Reuben Reng, co-produced by Alexandra Hul, and written by Adejo “Storypriest” Emmanuel.
