Nollywood actress and entrepreneur Tayo Sobola, popularly known as Sotayo Gaga, has revealed that her decision to stay away from the public eye was a deliberate one, aimed at focusing on motherhood, personal development and expanding her business ventures.
Speaking in an interview with Saturday Beats, Sobola said her absence from the entertainment scene did not mean she had become inactive. Instead, she used the period to reflect, build her brands and pursue entrepreneurial projects while embracing motherhood.
According to the actress, she values her peace and personal space, adding that stepping away from the spotlight allowed her to concentrate on priorities outside acting.
“Those periods I was off the scene were for personal reflection and growing my brand. By the time I was ready to return to acting, motherhood set in, and I embraced it without distraction,” she said.
Sobola explained that becoming a mother did not prevent her from pursuing her professional ambitions. She described herself as a serial entrepreneur, noting that she spent the period strengthening her businesses, developing fashion designs and working on movie scripts.
“Truth be told, motherhood didn’t stop me from doing other things. I am a serial entrepreneur and run several businesses, so while I was busy parenting, I was also working on brand positioning, creating new designs for some of my fashion brands, and developing movie scripts, among other projects,” she said.
The actress stressed that although she was less visible in the entertainment industry, she remained actively engaged behind the scenes.
“Although I wasn’t very visible in the public space, I was extremely busy strategising. Simply put, I am still very much relevant in the industry,” she added.
Sobola also offered insight into her personality, describing herself as an emotional person who prefers to maintain a small circle of friends.
“We all have our personal struggles because no one is born perfect. The ability to rise after every challenge is what makes one strong. I am a loner who loves to keep my circle very small. One thing many people don’t know about me is that I am an emotional person,” she said.
Addressing the relationship between her birth name and her popular stage name, Sotayo Gaga, the actress said both identities complement one another and have contributed to her career success.
“The brand and the name have always worked together. They are like Siamese twins that benefit from one another. Many people identify more with the name Sotayo Gaga, but in reality, neither of the two names is bigger than the other. I simply know when each is most appropriate,” she said.
Sobola, who welcomed her first child in 2024, has gradually returned to acting while continuing to balance her career with entrepreneurship and family life.
