By Ayo Onikoyi

Veteran Nollywood actress Shaffy Bello has said that love is often misunderstood and reduced to romance, despite having deeper emotional and spiritual dimensions.

Bello made the remarks during an interview with media personality VJ Adams on his show Off The Top, where she spoke candidly about storytelling, womanhood, love, and representation in film.

According to the actress, if she were to executive-produce a movie, she would focus on telling a modern story about women from an older generation, a demographic she believes is largely underrepresented in cinema.

“If I were to executive-produce a movie, I would tell a modern story about a woman and show her resilience,” Bello said. “We don’t tell enough stories about older women—what we go through, who we are, and how beautiful we are.”

Bello explained that she is particularly drawn to stories that explore the layers of womanhood, likening the journey of a woman to the structure of a flower. “I want to tell the story of what it took for a woman to become who she is,” she said, noting that each stage of life adds depth and character.

She cited her role in Christmas in Lagos, where she starred alongside Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD) and Wale Ojo, as an example of storytelling that resonated strongly with audiences. “The story connected with so many women,” Bello said. “Even women in their late 20s, 30s, 40s, and those in their 60s reached out to say, ‘We don’t tell these stories enough.’”

On the subject of love, Bello challenged popular perceptions, saying it is often mistaken for romance. “Love, for me, is the ultimate emotion,” she said. “We use the word loosely. We confuse love with romance and all that stuff, but love is actually different. It has depth, and it is spiritual.”

The actress also shared a personal philosophy about professionalism and discipline. “I believe that if you are not a late person, people take you more seriously,” she added.