The Story⚡
A master class in 2016. An audition line where strangers swapped gist for hours. A director who stopped a scene mid-take to ask where an actress had been all this time. Years later, those moments have led three women to the same film.
Tell Me More
In an exclusive conversation, filmmaker Biodun Stephen, actress and producer Bolaji Ogunmola, and actress, filmmaker, and Desperanza Media CEO Blessing Nze spoke about the full-circle path that brought them together on a new film. Calling themselves the Triple Bees, they described not only the practical strengths each brings to the project but the earlier moments that first linked their careers.
How Their Paths First Crossed
Biodun Stephen recalled meeting Bolaji Ogunmola when she was searching for someone who matched her own drive. “I was looking for somebody who was as hungry as I was,” she said, adding that Bolaji approached the work with a fearlessness that stood out immediately. Their connection formed around that shared intensity.
Blessing Nze’s introduction came differently. Biodun remembered meeting her at a premiere, then later directing her on the set of Binta Kolonko. Mid-scene, Biodun called cut and said, “My God, where have you been? You’re incredibly talented.” Blessing described the moment as deeply emotional. She had once been told by someone she respected that she was too unattractive for the camera. Hearing the opposite from Biodun, she explained, felt like the validation she needed.
Bolaji placed her first meeting with Biodun at a masterclass in 2016. She had decided the facilitator would not leave without noticing her, and that determination led to her first lead role under Biodun’s direction. Between Bolaji and Blessing, the link was longer and quieter. They had known each other for sixteen or seventeen years as colleagues who waited outside auditions together, exchanging small favours and updates. Over time, Blessing said she came to admire the steady work Bolaji put into her productions.
What Each Brings to the Collaboration
Biodun described the project as a homecoming. “It’s a full-circle moment,” she said, noting that she had given both women their first lead roles early in their careers and now watched them excel not only as actors but as producers. Working with them again, she added, layered something powerful onto the storytelling.
Bolaji pointed to the distinct strengths among the three. She called Biodun a strong storyteller, noted Blessing’s established community and long presence in the industry, and described her own contribution as the ability to gather people and keep a production moving. She observed that the group shares a clear aim: to deliver a solid project and reach a wide audience. “When you want to go far, you go together,” she said.
Blessing framed the collaboration as the natural result of years of parallel growth. She and Bolaji had moved from fellow audition-goers to professionals who recognised each other’s progress. Alignment on several points, she said, made joining forces feel right.
Looking at the Work Ahead
None of the three named the film, yet each spoke of the same underlying confidence. Bolaji mentioned an elaborate cast and the combined reach of their separate communities. Biodun emphasised the value of talent that refuses to accept external limits, what she called “onion,” the personal drive to push past barriers, make mistakes, learn, and continue. Together they described a production grounded in shared history and complementary skills rather than sudden coincidence.
In Summary
What began as separate first meetings has settled into a deliberate partnership. The Triple Bees are now preparing a film set for release in 2027. Audiences who have followed their individual journeys will want to keep an eye out for the moment these three finally share the same frame.
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