Bisola Aiyeola talks Friendship with Sharon Ooja & Her Role as Ifeyinwa in the Showmax Nigeria Original Series “Flawsome”

From singing on MTN Project Fame West Africa to entertaining audiences in the Big Brother house and now a Nollywood star, Bisola Aiyeola‘s journey is nothing short of impressive. Her versatility and talent shine through in every role she takes on.

In “Flawsome,” a Showmax Nigeria Original series that explores the lives of four friends, Bisola plays Ifeyinwa, a hard-working heiress who spent all her life preparing to become the CEO of her father’s company after his demise, only to find out she isn’t her father’s chosen successor.

In the series, she acts alongside other friends: Ramat (Ini Dima-Okojie), Ivie (Sharon Ooja), and Dolapo (Enado Odigie). Together, they navigate their personal and professional lives while bound by the flawed yet unbreakable ties they share.

For International Women’s Month, Bisola shares more about her character Ifeyinwa, her real-life friendships with Sharon Ooja and Bimbo Ademoye, what she thinks of Women’s Month, and the songs that make her beautiful.

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Hi Bisola! What were you up to on International Women’s Day?

Nothing, I was working.

In ‘Flawsome,’ you play Ifeyinwa, a woman who faces challenges in her career. For women who find themselves in similar situations in their career journey, what piece of advice would you have for them?

A good support system is important. Thankfully, she has that support from her friends and sisters in Flawsome. Seeking advice on how to deal with issues like this, if it’s possible, talk to HR especially if you’re timid in the office.

But if you’re a boss, it requires a lot of inward thinking, and having a good community and support system. No journey to the top is easy so that might just be one of those things that help you stay steadfast, to keep pushing and not let anyone stop your dream of attaining greatness.

Female friendships are a big theme in ‘Flawsome.’ What do you value most about your friendships with women?

My best friend is Sharon Ooja in real life. She’s a ray of sunshine. She brings so much into my life. She’s one of those people who no matter how down, and sad I am when I talk to her, illuminates me. Seeing her anytime always leaves me feeling better. Female friendships, especially like the one I share with her, are a joy to my life. It gives me joy. It gives me peace of mind knowing that I just have that person you can pour everything into. 

She’s not the only person that’s close to me, I have other popular and not-so-popular friends who are my guys. There’s Bimbo Ademoye. I call her “aburo mi,” my younger sister. She’s also another person that I can go on and talk to without feeling like I have to guide or watch the things I say. Sometimes, with certain friendships, you’re afraid to express yourself to them because you don’t know how they’re going to receive it. But, with these women in my life, I’m an open book and they’re also open books with me. There’s this freedom I feel just sharing things with them. And it’s very important to have this. Again, it goes back to having a good supper system. No man is an island and I’m grateful for the support system that I have.

The theme of International Women’s Day is Investing in Women: Accelerate Progress. It’s about supporting women to reach their full potential. What does that mean to you?

I think it goes beyond commenting on social media, ‘yas queen’ ‘you go girl’ It goes beyond that. It starts as little as supporting the woman selling pepper down the road. You’re empowering that woman, you don’t know the journey that she’s on but just by your patronage with her, it’s helping her. 

Your friends in business, you’re purchasing from them, you’re randomly posting about their businesses. You don’t have to wait until they tell you or beg you to share their businesses. Most times, you find out that your close friends rarely support you, your business or your journey or job. Strangers will do that more for you. 

Now, we have to look inward and start with our little community. From your community of friends, be deliberate about ensuring that they’re growing, accelerating their progress and supporting them in any way you can. 

Even if it’s something you don’t use, you can just share. Tell your friends to another friend that this person does this. Mention their names in rooms where they’re not even there. It’s those little drops of water that make a mighty ocean. The ripple effects can come from things like this. Those are the tiny ways that I think you can help women. 

What progress would you like to see Nollywood make towards gender equality in the coming years?

Even better than what we have now! I’m very proud of the women in film. Women are dominating so many spaces in the film industry right now, this era that I’m in. I feel like there’s so much more we can do. 

Now, let’s embrace more collaboration. It’s not a competition between women and men. We need more collaborations and healthy competition and seeing that as a whole, we’re doing it for Nollywood, not for our individual and personal gains. 

When the world gets to experience Nollywood, they don’t differentiate between a “woman’s Nollywood” or a “man’s Nollywood”, it is Nollywood they experience. So a lot of collaborations and giving women more chances than what we’re getting now. With more collaborations and healthy competition, Nollywood will keep better. 

Three songs you’d add to a “Beautiful Women” playlist for International Women’s Month?

“Eledumare” by Teledalase, “I am Woman” by Emmy Meli, and “This Girl Is On Fire” by Alicia Keys.