Mercy Aigbe has shared the story of a painful setback she experienced during her early days in Nollywood, revealing how rejection and humiliation nearly broke her spirit before she eventually found success.
Speaking in an interview with Sunday Sun, the actress said many people admire her achievements today without knowing the struggles she overcame to get to where she is.
“The scars that challenge us the most eventually become what shape us. Most times, the scars we try to hide become our strength, growth, and purpose.
“People look at Mercy today, all dressed up, beautiful, and shining… but to God be the glory. It wasn’t easy at the beginning.”
She recounted an incident that happened while she was filming Akuko Ija. According to her, actor Yomi Fash-Lanso mentioned he was heading to another movie location where she also believed she had been cast.
After calling the producer to confirm, Mercy discovered she had been removed from the project. She said the conversation became more upsetting when the producer initially pretended not to know who she was.
“She said, ‘Hmm, the only Mercy that I know is Mercy Johnson. But what do you want?’”
Mercy revealed that the producer later told her she would have to seek approval before accepting jobs from other filmmakers if she wanted to continue receiving roles from her.
“She explained, ‘If you want me to be calling you for my jobs, you have to be getting permission from me before you go on any set.’”
The actress said she was shocked by the request, having already spent four years trying to establish herself in the industry.
“This startled me. I had dedicated four years of my life to this craft, and now I had to ask someone for permission to do my job?”
She admitted the incident left her in tears.
“I felt so bad, and I cried.”
Despite the disappointment, Mercy said she refused to let the experience define her. Instead, she continued attending auditions and remained confident that persistence and self-belief would eventually pay off.
“In life, your scars are going to come with disappointment; people will misunderstand you. I was discouraged and demoralised. But I found courage. That is one thing you need to be successful in the creative industry.
“There is a need to believe in yourself and believe in your journey, and I kept going because I believed in myself. I kept attending auditions and giving my best.”
