Nollywood actress Meg Otanwa has described the movie Freedom Way as a mirror of the struggles Nigerians live with every day.
In an interview with Guardian Life, Otanwa said the story mirrors the pain, helplessness and quiet rage that ordinary people experience under failed policies and corruption.
“I knew this was more than just a film, it was a mirror. Freedom Way captures the tension, the helplessness, and the quiet rage that so many Nigerians live with every day. What stood out to me was how it didn’t just point fingers; it showed the ripple effect of systemic corruption, how a single government policy could unravel lives from the top to the bottom. It felt urgent, and it felt real. I couldn’t walk away from it,” she said.
Otanwa plays the role of Funke, a woman who represents the strength of Nigerian women holding their homes together while society around them collapses.
She explained that preparing for the role required journaling in her character’s voice, studying real-life stories of families affected by harsh economic realities and speaking with women who carry their battles silently.
“Funke is not just a character on paper, she is every Nigerian woman who has had to hold her home together while the world outside crumbles,” she added.
According to her, the character shows the hidden cost of injustice. While Funke’s husband faces direct attacks, she carries the emotional burden, the uncertainty and the fear.
“Her story is a window into what many young Nigerians face: the feeling of being punished for simply existing in Nigeria,” she said.
On the wider message of the film, Otanwa explained that Freedom Way is a reminder that silence is no longer survival. “Behind every policy, every bribe, every abuse of power, there are real lives unraveling. Freedom Way challenges us to rethink what freedom really means, not just the absence of chains, but the presence of dignity, justice, and opportunity. It’s a wake-up call.”
She also connected the story to the mood of young Nigerians after the #EndSARS protests, stressing that silence today is not about fear but exhaustion.
“What Freedom Way does so beautifully is articulate that exhaustion. It captures the emotional and psychological toll of systemic oppression. It speaks to the things that people feel but may no longer have the energy to express. Through its characters, it says: ‘We see you. We hear you. Your pain is real, and your silence is not defeat.’”
Otanwa said she hopes the film makes viewers feel seen, urging them to leave the cinema with questions and urgency for change.
“I hope they recognise a piece of themselves in Funke whether it’s their grief, their grit, or their hope. And I hope they leave with more than just emotion. I want them to leave with questions, with anger, with urgency. Because storytelling isn’t just to entertain; it’s to stir us toward something better.”
