Ghanaian actress Fella Makafui has shared the behind-the-scenes struggle that went into her widely praised performance in Netflix’s Aníkúlápó: The Ghoul Awakens, revealing how she had to learn Yoruba from scratch for the role.
The actress, who plays Abena in the series, received widespread acclaim online—particularly for her delivery in Yoruba.
Reacting to the love from viewers, Fella took to Instagram on Tuesday to share screenshots of fans’ comments and express her gratitude.
“Thank you all so much for the overwhelming love and reviews on my performance in ANIKULAPO: The Ghoul Awakens,” she wrote.
“Seeing you appreciate my effort, especially the Yoruba language, truly means the world to me… Ẹ ṣé gan-an fún gbogbo ìfẹ́ àti àtìlẹ́yìn yín.”
In an earlier post, Fella disclosed that she was recommended for the role by producer Juliet Asante, before director Kunle Afolayan informed her she would be required to speak Yoruba on screen.
“My heart skipped for a second because I had never even said ‘the’ in Yoruba before,” she admitted.
“But I responded, ‘Yes sir, I can do it.’”
Determined to rise to the challenge, the actress said she worked closely with a language coach and practiced relentlessly.
“I almost gave up because wow… the language was HARD,” Fella revealed.
“I woke up at dawn, constantly asking my coach for voice notes, listening to them everywhere I went. Literally everywhere.”
She described the role as the most demanding of her career, but one she intentionally embraced.
“I told myself this had to be the most challenging role I’ve ever taken on — and it was exactly the kind of challenge I wanted.”
Fella also praised the support she received on set, crediting Kunle Afolayan and the cast and crew for making her feel at home throughout the production.
Aníkúlápó: The Ghoul Awakens continues the story of the original Aníkúlápó film, delving deeper into themes of power, loyalty, and survival within a richly imagined Yoruba-inspired mythical world.
For Fella Makafui, the role marked her first-ever time speaking Yoruba on screen—a leap of faith that has now paid off with critical acclaim and audience admiration.
