‘Which Permission Did You Take?’ — Mercy Aigbe Recounts Humiliating Encounter With Female Producer

Nollywood actress and producer Mercy Aigbe has opened up about a difficult experience she faced earlier in her career involving a female producer who allegedly questioned her relevance and imposed strict conditions before offering her movie roles.

Speaking at a recent event, Aigbe recounted how the unnamed producer challenged her identity during a phone conversation and insisted she would need permission before accepting acting jobs from other filmmakers.

According to the actress, the producer initially dismissed her and compared her to fellow actress Mercy Johnson while questioning why she was being contacted.

“The woman was like, ‘Who is Mercy? I don’t have time. Better introduce yourself properly or else I will cut the phone,’” Aigbe recalled.

She explained that she had contacted the producer after a production manager previously reached out to her about a movie role without any further communication.

Aigbe said she informed the producer that she was already in Ibadan working on another film project when the conversation took an unexpected turn.

“She asked me where I was, and I told her I was on set in Ibadan filming another movie, and she asked which permission I took to be filming another movie,” the actress said.

The revelation comes just weeks after Aigbe celebrated 20 years in the Nigerian film industry, reflecting on her growth, resilience and continued relevance in Nollywood.

Over the years, the actress has built a successful career as both a performer and filmmaker, earning recognition for her contributions to the industry and her ability to reinvent herself in an evolving entertainment space.