Nollywood actor Bolanle Ninalowo has opened up on his healing journey, saying it helped him realise that he did not know how to love or value himself.
Ninalowo said he is now pleased whenever people describe him as someone who loves himself, describing self-love as one of the most fulfilling parts of his life.
In a social media post, the actor said his past tendency to prioritise others, please people, over-give and live in extreme co-dependency contributed to his realisation of the need for self-love during his healing process.
“When I hear, ‘This man you too love yourself.’ Omo, you have no idea how much it gladdens my heart oo!! As a matter of fact, it is now one of the most fulfilling parts of my existence,” he wrote.
Ninalowo said his experiences also made him understand that what he had previously regarded as love was, in many instances, attachment.
“Loving and choosing others, people-pleasing, over-giving, and the extreme codependency I lived with for almost my entire adult life made me realise something during my healing journey. I didn’t know how to love or value myself. What I once called Love was, in many ways, simply attachment,” he said.
The actor also said he no longer sees life as a competition with his colleagues, adding that his focus now is on improving himself rather than wanting what others have.
Ninalowo said his goal was to outdo his past achievements, rather than compete with anyone else.
While joining the “2026 is the new 2016” trend, he said he had not spent time looking back because his focus remained on his personal growth.
The father of two expressed gratitude to his Maker and vowed to continue pursuing his goals until they are achieved.
Ninalowo has previously spoken about his journey towards self-prioritisation, saying he could not expect to be a priority for everyone and had therefore chosen to make himself a priority.
He has also described counting his blessings as his “biggest addiction”, saying he continues to find reasons to be grateful.
