Nollywood actress Ola Samuel has spoken out about a trying time in her friend and colleague Austine’s life, saying that she worried for his life if he had stayed in Nigeria and that the actor’s hardships almost shattered him.
In an emotional interview shared on the official YouTube channel of Jeff Owolewa TV on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, Samuel recounted how Austine faced betrayal, hardship, and neglect from within the movie industry when he was trying to build a better life abroad.
Samuel revealed that when Austine planned to travel out of the country, some movie marketers allegedly worked against him, but she refused to abandon him in his time of need.
“Austine is not the kind of person that I will stop associating myself with. When Austine wanted to travel abroad, some movie marketers connived against him, but I stood by him because I’m not an ingrate,” she said.
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She explained that she and Austine stayed in touch while he was away, and she was meant to pick him up at the airport upon his return to Nigeria.
However, his friends picked him up instead.
When she finally saw him, she was heartbroken by how much he had changed.
“I started crying when I saw Austine. He looked like someone who was infected with HIV,” she recalled emotionally.
Samuel said she feared for Austine’s life, describing how the difficulties he faced nearly broke him completely.
“I felt like Austine was going to die if he didn’t leave Nigeria at the time because he passed through many difficulties,” she added.
Her heartfelt testimony has resonated with fans, who praised her loyalty and compassion while calling for more support for artists who silently struggle behind the scenes.