Tobi Bakre: “If You Don’t Want to Work With a Woman, You’re Not Ready to Grow”

Nollywood actor and media personality Tobi Bakre has taken a firm stance against gender discrimination in the entertainment industry, declaring that professionals who refuse to collaborate with women are unserious about their own growth.

Bakre made the remarks during an appearance on the Mentality Podcast, hosted by media veteran Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, where he spoke candidly about his experiences working with women in the Nigerian entertainment industry.
“If you don’t want to work with a woman, I don’t believe you’re ready to grow in life. Women are so powerful. Thank God for women,” the actor said.

Reflecting on his career trajectory, Bakre credited women as key contributors to his professional development, noting that the majority of his most meaningful collaborations have been with female colleagues.

“In my industry, particularly, I have worked with women, and I’ve worked more with women. I don’t see gender. For me, work is work because I came into the industry with the thirst to get stuff done,” he added.

The actor further described the working dynamic he experienced with his female collaborators as one defined by openness and a lack of ego, qualities he considers essential to creative success.

“A lot of the women I worked with welcomed that mentality with open arms. There was no ego,” he stated.
Bakre’s comments have added his voice to the growing conversation around gender equity and inclusion in Nollywood and the broader African entertainment landscape.