Shock on Nollywood Set as Two Girls Allegedly Go Into Trance During Filming, Sotayo Sobola Intervenes

A Nollywood film production reportedly took an unexpected spiritual turn after two young girls allegedly went into a trance during filming, with actress Sotayo Sobola said to have intervened to restore calm.

Tension reportedly gripped a Nollywood film set after two young girls suddenly went into a trance during a filming session, in an incident that those present linked to the Osun spirit.

According to filmmaker and director Okiki Afolayan, the incident happened unexpectedly while the production was underway. He said the two girls, whom he described as “water children,” were allegedly struck by what he identified as the spirit of Osun, the Yoruba river deity.

“This happened unexpectedly on location set while we are filming, unknown to us. Two girls that happened to be a water child were struck with Osun spirit,” Afolayan said.

The filmmaker suggested that the incident may have coincided with the ongoing Osun Osogbo Festival, an annual cultural and spiritual celebration dedicated to Osun, which is traditionally associated with fertility, beauty, water and prosperity.

The unexpected development reportedly caused concern among those on the set before actress Sotayo Sobola stepped in.

Sobola, who has been associated with Yoruba cultural and spiritual themes and is described by some within the traditional belief system as a daughter of Osun and a “Water Goddess,” was reportedly involved in calming the situation.

According to Afolayan, Sobola intervened to appease the spirit and remained involved until the two girls had settled and calm returned to the production.

The incident has since generated discussion about the relationship between Yoruba traditional spirituality and Nollywood, particularly the way indigenous beliefs, deities and cultural practices continue to influence filmmaking.

Yoruba mythology and traditional religion have long featured prominently in Nollywood productions, with filmmakers frequently drawing inspiration from indigenous stories, rituals, deities and historical traditions.

For many practitioners and cultural enthusiasts, the Osun Osogbo Festival represents more than a public celebration. It is a major cultural and spiritual gathering centred on the sacred Osun River and the traditional worship of Osun.

The reported incident has therefore attracted attention because of its timing and the identities of those involved.

However, the claims surrounding the alleged spiritual encounter remain accounts from people connected to the production and have not been independently verified. There is also no scientific evidence establishing that the girls were physically “possessed” by a deity.

For those who witnessed the episode, however, the experience was reportedly significant enough to bring the filming to a halt while the situation was addressed.

As the Osun Osogbo festivities continue, the unusual incident has once again highlighted the enduring place of Yoruba cultural traditions in contemporary Nigerian entertainment—and the sometimes unexpected ways in which culture and filmmaking can intersect.