My name is Emmanuel Gbetuwa, but those who know me well call me Gbetus. I am the second to last born in my family. 

Growing up in Kono, I enjoyed exhibiting my talents for many things,
I played football and I even represented my country in the national tennis cup.
One of the things I enjoyed doing the most was acting. I have always had this uncontrollable burning desire for it. I remember one time as a kid, I was watching a movie and I took a pause and started performing the scene spontaneously. I still remember those moments vividly -- they were my fun times.

My journey in acting started from a humble beginning way back in 2007, when I unknowingly acted my first movie alongside my father. I took on the role of a village hunter and the scene needed someone to take the role of a grey-haired, elderly, smart looking Paramount chief and my father fit that description perfectly. He was well known in Kono as the grey-haired, well-dressed "Pa" who always tucked his shirt into his shorts. While filming, I was doing my scene when I unexpectedly bumped into my father. Although I was really surprised, we play along until the scene was finish. It was a beautiful moment, and I got paid acting my first movie too!

I later moved to Freetown to live with my elder brother, where I visited the Amazing Film Production and presented myself as an actor. I was given a test scene through which I delivered successfully, securing my place as an actor in the Amazing Film Production.

My journey has not always been easy, I had to take a long break from acting because I fell into the trap of what I now call "bad mentality." Let me tell you all about it. When I moved to Freetown, I surrounded myself with people who had negative views about acting; they saw it as a worldly pursuit. As a result, I stopped acting in the limelight, and I say limelight because the passion for acting was deep within me. I tried so hard to suppress that desire. I stopped watching Nigerian movies, and when my friend, Pennant, and I went out, he would act while I stayed silent. People think I was his PA. It was tough.

Thankfully, I broke free from that bondage. I prayerfully thought about what I really wanted for myself, and I decided to pursue it. It was actually one of those times when accompanying my friend Pennant, that I finally gave in and acted my first comeback movie, titled, The Scuffle, featuring Patience Ozokwor, in 2022. I took on the role of a journalist on that movie. During all these years, I've learnt self-discovery, passion and drive. Drive has become my guiding force because passion alone does not guarantee success, actions do. I took deliberate actions to get back into acting.

In 2022, after that long break from acting, whiles working at the airport in Sierraleone, I heard Sharon Ifedi was in Liberia for an International Movie Project. Since I'd already started following her on Instagram, I dropped a message during her live video that I'll be coming to see her in Liberia. This was my chance to get back into acting, and I wasn't going to let it slip away. Through my connections I made few calls, and I was granted access to meet her at her hotel. I flew to Liberia, meet with Sharon, hug each other and talk for hours - we vibe en. I also had a very interesting conversation with her mother for complete one hour -- We talk about acting and future projects. The interesting part is I even played a role in that movie title Chichipoly, alongside Sharon. Travelling to Liberia and meeting with sharon was transformative.

It was there in Liberia, I took a role on two big movie projects, one with the notable Ken Erics and the other with IK Ogbonna.  These opportunities brought me recognition in the movie industry. Infact, a notable face in Africa, Frank Artus, who was once the lead actor in Africa and currently the President of the Liberian Movie Production, fell in love with my style of acting and my delivery. And guess what, I only took on two scenes in that movie. It's not how many scenes you take; it's how you deliver. Even if it's a single scene, it is the delivery that makes the difference. Shortly after this, I was given the opportunity to come to Liberia for more movie projects. Even though there were many others who could have had that opportunity, I was chosen. All of this happened in 2024 during the midst of receiving calls that I had lost friends in death. First a brother in the movie industry and then another who was my Christian brother and mentor. I was at one of the burial ceremonies when I received a call from Frank Artus himself, inviting me to come to Liberia for that movie project I mention earlier.

It was also there in Liberia I determined not to return home and really face everything. However, I didn't have enough cash. The only money I had was from the role I played in those two movies. I took that and travel to Ghana - initially I wanted to stay there for one week. My friend Mutall had to help me with cash. The money came and it was stolen by the people I stayed with, a SierraLeonean brother and another a Ghanian. I got stranded there in Ghana, not knowing anyone, which lead to my staying there for two months. During that time my friend then send another money. When I received the money everyone's advice was for me to refrain from travelling to Nigeria and return back to Sierraleone. I remember a Nigerian telling me, 'We are running from Nigeria, from bad economy and you are going there, what are you going to do there?' Another film actor told me, knowing I was going to do movie there in Nigeria, how nothing would work out for me, giving me reasons and analyzing everything. They thought they would discourage me from pursuing my passion. I had drive.

I took a flight from Ghana and landed in Lagos Nigeria. I had little cash on me, enough only for hotel reservation just for that night. I remember standing under a bridge approached by one thug, telling me to pay for where I placed my bag. I gave him 1k, the guy was happy, and he went away. Yes, I got scammed the first day I landed in Lagos. In Sierraleone we believed people easily, so I took that mentality there to Nigeria, not knowing it was at my own detriment. In Nigeria a son doesn't believe his father a father doesn't believe his son. I learnt this the hard way when I needed to withdraw a $200 I receive. In Nigeria you need to have an NIN to do most things; like buying sims or cashout money etc. I asked a lady to cash it out using her NIN, which she obviously ran away with. These were my most difficult times in Nigeria. My transition to acting wasn't a smooth sail, it was difficult. There were several times I thought of returning home but I corrected myself immediately I thought so, I told myself 'Quitting would make a very wick person.' In addition to my own inner voice, there were lots of voices outside encouraging me to quit. But I kept going, I kept praying and I kept being an optimist.

Regardless of all this, there were still some good people like Sharon. I acted my first movie in Asaba through her. And I got paid because she walked up to the Production Manager and told him to give me my own share - because that's how it supposed to be. Anyone that take a role in a movie, no matter what role, should be paid. As a result, subsequent movie I played a role in, I was paid. For the third movie, I walk up to the production manager for my own share, which I received 10k. During all this times I could see Jah paving the way for me. For most people getting into the movie industry in Nigeria they start carrying bags and shoes for the actors - essential acting as their PA. But God did not launch me as that, I was launch like a celebrity. As someone who came all the way from Sierraleone to do movie - which I was. God did it for me through Sharon. I was like a celeb beside her, and I was under her umbrella, after acting we would go together in her car. I wanted to be her PA, but God wanted something bigger for me. So, I was just like a celebrity beside her. She introduced me to all of her people. People would say, 'hey, Sharon best friend.' Reflecting on all this, I can confidently say that none of these was luck, it was God underserved kindness to me. I Prayed to him about all this, I pictured it, and it happened exactly. For example, I specifically prayed about acting my first movies in Asaba. When I landed in Lagos, God did not let me act any movies there. But as soon as I landed in Asaba I called Sharon and she said I should meet her at Asaba, where she was filming a movie at that exact time title (Love on ending). Immediately they saw me, my looks, the way I dressed, I was immediately given the role of a pastor. I'm not saying things would go always as planned or as you visualize it. God is wonderful so much so that he sometimes answered your prayers in extraordinary ways. You just need to have the spiritual maturity to see how it tied to your prayers.

Since then, I've been featured in 60 films, and I've acted 3 movies where I was the central character.
One of the challenges I faced especially in Asaba is that you act on set. There's no sending of script in advance. In Asaba there is cock and fire. However, I remember the days of acting in Sierraleone back in 2016; That's how we used to do things. We just act. So that really help me when I was in Asaba.

Now what do I think of Nollywood? It's huge. 
Nollywood is a massive industry. The entertainment industry including Nollywood in Nigeria is giving to the GDP 48% which is huge to people that do math. Meaning, there are many young folks living in Nigeria making earnest living off Nollywood.

My Advice

My advice to anyone who wants to go into movie or achieve anything is this:
The first and most important thing you need to do is to discover yourself, find out your talent - what you really want, then take the necessary steps. Remember, things would not always go as planned, this life itself will test you to see how serious you are with your dreams - it'll come from different direction, family, religion, friends etc. When this happens, go into your head and find out your potential, and take deliberate steps to hone it, even if it involves moving out of your comfort zone, do it in order to live that dream life.

My Roadmap for you to enter into the movie industry. 
    1. First: Go to any movie production firms
        If you're in Sierraleone there is the Kidda Fan movie production in SSCAMP.
    2. Work on yourself:
        Rehearse, train, be a professional and always have a standard.
    3. Be humble. 
    4. Showcase yourself as an asset.
        Reach out to all necessary potential, after you've worked on yourself, so they see you as an asset.
    5. Lastly, diversity is the key, do not limit yourself.
        When I came to Nigeria, I was defined as an Internationally Actor not as a Sierraleone Actor to Nigeria. I've acted movies in Liberia, Ginea, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and down to Nigeria - the giant of African entrainment. Some of these movies are cinematic movies.

Remember, it’s not just about talent; it’s about passion and drive, discipline, determination, and God.