Nollywood Star Halima Abubakar Claims Coworkers Showed No Empathy Following Her 13-Year Struggle

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Nollywood actress Halima Abubakar has urged her colleagues in the film industry to embrace love, empathy, compassion and unity, saying the absence of those values worsened the challenges she endured during her 13-year health and personal ordeal.

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Speaking during a Holy Ghost revival event in Lagos on Saturday, the actress criticised what she described as greed, distrust and a lack of genuine care among practitioners in the Nigerian film industry.

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“They lack love, empathy, compassion. They lack trust. So many of them are so greedy. So many of them are not really what they seem to be,” she said.

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Abubakar said she decided to publicly recount her experiences so Nigerians and the rest of the world could understand the depth of her suffering.

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“I allow this so that Nigerians can see where I’m coming from. And the world will watch and see how much I’ve suffered,” she said.

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Describing her return to public life after 13 years as “a miracle” and “a second chance,” the actress said her recovery was made possible through her faith in God.

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She said she now depends on God to guide her life and believes He restored her after years of hardship.

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Abubakar also alleged that some people worked to destroy her reputation and career, claiming that others even celebrated false reports of her death.

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Calling for change within Nollywood, she urged actors and filmmakers to stand by one another during difficult times instead of abandoning colleagues facing personal struggles.

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“We need love. You need to love yourselves in Nollywood. One person’s pain is everybody’s pain. But in my industry, your pain is your pain,” she said.

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Also speaking at the event, Apostle Queen Belemzy recounted how she first became concerned about the actress after seeing videos of her condition online.

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According to the cleric, Abubakar initially rejected her offer of prayers because of a previous negative experience with another religious leader.

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However, Belemzy said the actress later contacted her after believing God had directed her to seek prayers from her.

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She said their first prayer session, conducted virtually, marked the beginning of Abubakar’s recovery.

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According to the apostle, the actress began sleeping better, experienced relief from several physical symptoms and gradually regained her appearance.

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Belemzy also said she had a dream she believed revealed the spiritual source of Abubakar’s struggles and added that she provided financial support throughout the period.

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The cleric said Abubakar, whom she described as a new Christian, is now preaching and will join her on an international tour to share her testimony and encourage others to seek God.

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Abubakar’s health challenges began in 2017 after undergoing fibroid surgery in India, which was followed by prolonged complications, including persistent bleeding and severe weakness.

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Over the years, she disclosed that she battled a brain tumour alongside heart-related problems, high blood pressure, spleen complications, insomnia, anxiety and recurrent bleeding.

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The prolonged illness forced her away from acting for several years and led to financial hardship, prompting public appeals for medical assistance.

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Earlier in 2026, the actress disclosed that she needed about ₦25 million to fund brain tumour and spleen surgeries, post-operative care, accommodation and other medical expenses.

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She has also previously accused some Nollywood colleagues of abandoning her during her health crisis and was at one point suspended by the Actors Guild of Nigeria over disputes before the suspension was later lifted on health grounds.

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In 2026, Abubakar announced that she had recovered, attributing her healing to divine intervention through Apostle Queen Belemzy’s ministry after converting from Islam to Christianity.

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