Nollywood actress Hadiza Abubakar has opened up about her roots, revealing that she hails from Etsakor, a community in Edo State known for its deep-rooted Islamic heritage and minimal Christian presence.
Speaking on the Talk-to-B podcast with Bola Ade, Hadiza described her village as a close-knit Muslim settlementwhere everyone knows each other and faith plays a central role in daily life.
“I’m from Edo State, Etsakor to be precise. And I’m a Muslim. Those from my side — that’s the Etsakor — are majorly Muslims. Especially in my village, we don’t even have Christians except those who left, converted elsewhere, and came back,” she said.
According to her, for many years, there were no church buildings in the community, and if any exist now, they are likely far from the main settlement. She emphasized that the religious uniformity isn’t due to exclusion but simply reflects the historical composition of the area.
Hadiza further noted that both her parents are from the same village, making her upbringing deeply rooted in Islamic culture and traditions. She described Etsakor as a small, peaceful community where transportation is mostly by foot or motorcycle and “everybody knows everybody.”
