How I permanently lost my voice on movie set – Actress Azeezat Shorunmu

Popular Nollywood actress and producer Azeezat Shorunmu has opened up about a life-altering incident that permanently damaged her vocal cords and changed her voice forever.

Speaking in a recent interview on Oyinmomo TV, Azeezat emotionally recounted how the transformation occurred during the filming of the movie Apase. According to the actress, tragedy struck on the very day production was scheduled to begin, when news broke that fellow actress Mummy Surutu had lost her child.

Overwhelmed by shock and grief, Azeezat Shorunmu said she screamed uncontrollably — a moment that marked the beginning of her vocal trauma.

“It happened while shooting the movie Apase. Mummy Surutu lost her child that very morning we were to commence shooting. She had already been paid, so I was confused and didn’t know what to do upon hearing the news,” she recalled.

“In that moment of emotional stress, I screamed. That was when I lost my voice.”

The actress explained that what initially felt like a temporary blockage became a persistent condition. Her voice didn’t return even after four months, prompting her to seek both medical and spiritual interventions.

“I used various things, including anointing oil,” she said. “By the time the vocal cord was through, it didn’t come out as my voice again. It became this tiny and cracked voice.”

Azeezat Shorunmu admitted the experience made her understand the pain of not being able to express oneself. “That was when I realised that it was a painful thing to be dumb. It hurts when you want to express yourself, but you cannot.”

Despite the setback, Azeezat has continued to act and produce films, embracing her now-distinct raspy tone — which has since become her trademark voice in the industry.