This story is part of our series from FRAME at NIFS Lagos, where industry leaders reflected on women’s stories, roles, and representation in Nollywood.
At FRAME, the women-in-film conversation at the Nigeria International Film Summit in Lagos, veteran actor and producer Ego Boyo reflected on how representation has always been more than a buzzword for Nollywood; it has been a lived reality.
For Boyo, that reality began with her breakout role as Ann Haatrope in the classic TV series ‘Checkmate’. The character became a cultural reference point, not just for audiences of the 1990s but for the generations that followed.
“People still walk up to me and say, ‘Ann Haatrope changed how I saw myself,’” Boyo said. “She was one of the first representations of a woman who wasn’t just secondary to someone else’s story.”
Boyo explained that the power of ‘Checkmate’ lay in its ability to centre a woman with flaws, ambitions, and complexity at a time when female characters were often written as either saints or victims. That visibility created ripples across careers and households, embedding Ann Haatrope in Nollywood’s cultural memory.
But Boyo believes the conversation cannot stop at nostalgia. She argued that Nollywood must take intentional steps to build on that legacy, ensuring new characters do more than tick boxes of “strong” or “independent”.
“Complexity matters,” she said. “We don’t need perfect women on screen. We need real ones: women who make mistakes, who grow, who own their stories.”
Today, as Nollywood reaches global platforms, Boyo sees both an opportunity and a risk. Global demand can encourage broader narratives, but it can also flatten characters into tropes designed for export. For her, the responsibility lies with filmmakers to be deliberate about representation that reflects the richness of lived experiences.
Ann Haatrope’s influence may still echo three decades later, but Boyo is clear: the next generation deserves even bolder portrayals of characters that break existing moulds and refuse to fit into new ones.
This article is part of Nollywire’s coverage of FRAME at NIFS Lagos.
- Read Biodun Stephen’s take on stereotypes in Nollywood.
- Read Brenda Fashugba’s call for better women’s stories and spaces.
