Nollywood actress Halima Abubakar has reflected on the difficult period she experienced while battling ill health, revealing that she was hurt by the lack of concern shown by some of her colleagues in the entertainment industry.
The actress, however, said she has chosen not to judge or hold resentment against those who failed to reach out to her during her health crisis.
Speaking with Saturday Beats, Abubakar explained that many of the people involved were not necessarily her close friends. She also noted that rumours and assumptions often create misunderstandings among people in the entertainment industry.
She said, “I didn’t say they abandoned me. We are not friends. You know how it is in an industry. When one person says one thing, every other person assumes that’s the truth. So, I don’t blame them.
“If somebody said something that was presumably said by me, the proper thing to do was to call me and ask me. You don’t go behind after telling me to write a report, and I write that report, you didn’t act on the report, and then you just give me an indefinite suspension.”
Recalling her experience while she was ill, the actress said she received little support from some of her colleagues and that no one was sent to check on her.
She said the experience was painful, but it ultimately deepened her faith in God.
“You didn’t visit me when I was sick, nothing. They didn’t send anybody. They just left me to die, but God said I will live,” she said.
Despite everything that happened, Abubakar maintained that she did not believe she was owed anything by her colleagues.
“They don’t owe me anything, and I do not owe them anything,” she stated.
The actress also expressed gratitude for surviving the difficult chapter of her life, attributing her recovery to God and her faith.
“Someone I didn’t even expect told me this. But I’m here. God has been wonderful. You would not know that I’ve gone through what I’ve gone through. God has worked in me heavily because without God in my life, I don’t know what I would have done,” she said.
Abubakar further explained that her experience did not erase the love she still has for her colleagues. She said some of them may have acted based on information they received from others without knowing the full story.
“It doesn’t change the love I have for my colleagues. Sometimes, they might not know what is happening, then when one person picks a narrative, that person will run with it and tell other people. So, I don’t know what they heard. It’s okay. I don’t judge them,” she said.
According to the actress, the ordeal also changed her perspective on life and her interactions with people. She said she witnessed how different individuals behaved and the judgments they made about her situation, but she has decided to focus on what lies ahead.
“So many people didn’t expect me to survive, but I am here. I saw everything. Everybody’s character and the judgment they passed, I saw everything. But we’re not talking about the past. We’re talking about the future, and I’m a changed person. I’m changed, even the way I talk,” she said.
While looking back on the challenging period, Abubakar also acknowledged the people who stood by her, particularly those who offered medical and financial assistance when she needed support the most.