Popular Nollywood actress and producer, Azeezat Shorunmu, has spoken publicly about how she permanently lost her natural voice during a film shoot.
The actress, once known for her distinct voice on screen, now speaks in a raspy tone, a result of a sudden incident that changed her life.
In a recent interview with Oyinmomo TV, Azeezat recounted the emotional and physical pain she experienced after damaging her vocal cords during the production of the film Apase.
According to her, the damage was not from illness or a medical condition, but from an overwhelming emotional reaction to devastating news that struck just as filming was about to begin.
Shorunmu’s tragedy on set
Shorunmu recalled that the life-changing moment happened on the very day the movie shoot was scheduled to start. Just hours before cameras were to begin rolling, she received heartbreaking news: fellow actress Remi Surutu had lost her daughter.
“We had already made preparations and started the production of Apase. On the morning of the shoot, I heard that Mummy Surutu’s child had passed away,” Azeezat explained.
According to her, Surutu had already been paid for her role, and the production team was unsure how to proceed. The situation became emotionally overwhelming. In the confusion and panic, Azeezat screamed a reaction that ended up causing serious harm to her voice.
The moment everything changed
“I didn’t know what to do,” she said. “I was shouting, crying, and trying to process the news. It was in that moment of shouting that my voice disappeared. At first, I thought it was just a temporary loss.”
She continued shooting the movie despite her blocked throat, expecting that her voice would return in a matter of days or weeks. But days turned into months, and her condition only worsened.
“Usually, when someone loses their voice, it clears up after a while. But in my case, it didn’t. After four months, it became clear that something was seriously wrong,” she said.
A long and painful search for a cure
Azeezat revealed that the loss of her voice took a deep emotional toll on her. She described the frustration of wanting to speak but being unable to express herself clearly. She said it made her understand what it truly feels like to be voiceless.
“It hurts when you want to say something, but you can’t. It’s a painful experience,” she said, her voice cracking with emotion.
In her search for healing, the actress turned to both medical treatment and spiritual solutions. She visited doctors, tried voice therapy, and also sought divine help through prayer and anointing oil.
“I did everything I could think of. I visited hospitals, used anointing oil, and prayed. But nothing brought back my original voice,” she said.
A new identity emerges
Eventually, Azeezat regained the ability to speak, but her voice was no longer the same. The once smooth and recognisable voice had turned into a thin, raspy tone, one she now describes as her “new voice.”
“This isn’t the voice people used to know me for,” she said. “When it finally came back, it was tiny and cracked. But I’ve learned to live with it. This voice has become part of who I am now.”
Despite the change, Azeezat has continued working in the film industry. Her courage and ability to adapt to unexpected challenges have inspired many of her fans.
While the experience was painful and life-changing, Azeezat said she has accepted her new reality and is grateful to still have a voice at all, even if it no longer sounds like it once did.
“I still count it as a blessing. Even though my voice changed, I’m still here, still working, and still telling stories,” she said with a smile.
Her story serves as a reminder of the sacrifices and emotional toll actors often face behind the scenes and how one moment can change everything.
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