I Want to Create a Space for Every Creative to Shine – Heavens Obule

From in front of the camera to behind the scenes, Heavens Obule is steadily carving out his place in Nollywood. An actor, producer, casting director, and talent manager, Heavens represents a new generation of creatives who refuse to stay in one box. Since his breakout role in Skinny Girl in Transit, he has featured in productions such as MTV Shuga Season 5, Diary of a Virgin Boy, Feels Like Heavens, among others, wearing different faces on screen while excelling behind the camera as a producer extraordinaire.

With a clear vision, infectious positivity, and a deep love for storytelling, Heavens continues to build platforms and create opportunities for others to shine. Get ready to be spellbound by a master in the making, weaving creative magic and telling stories that captivate, inspire, and leave you wanting more.

In this exclusive interview with PartyJollof Africa, he opens up about his journey into Nollywood, the risks he has taken, the lessons learned, the chaos of film sets, and his desire to create meaningful change in the industry. Grab your popcorn. It’s a beautiful ride.

PartyJollof Africa: As a way of introduction to our audience who may be getting to hear the name for the very first time, how would you describe yourself?

Heavens Obule: (smiles) Well, I am Heavens Obule the actor who wears different faces. I’m an actor, producer, and casting director. Basically, I’m all of that.

PartyJollof Africa: Impressive aspects for just one person, so, take us back to the beginning. Tell us about your journey into Nollywood. Was it Nollywood that found you, or did you find Nollywood?

Heavens Obule: Hmmm (smiles). I think it was both ways but let’s just say I found Nollywood, yes. My journey officially started as an actor in 2018, and it was very interesting. I attended Babcock University, and fortunately I met Olumide Oworu, the actor from The Johnsons and other beautiful movies. I told him I loved acting, and he advised me to go for auditions. I went for my first audition through him, and I made friends there. My friends and I used to sneak out of school to attend auditions. I even went for a Jenifa’s Diary audition once, where Funke Akindele told me I needed contact lenses because I wore glasses. It was after school that the journey really kicked off. Then in 2020, I became a film producer and launched my production company, Take One Production.

PartyJollof Africa: What a journey, from your explanation, we see how the acting and production got started but nothing about the casting director, so, how did casting directing find its way to you.

Heavens Obule: Well, I started off as an actor, so I understood how difficult it is to get cast. It’s not easy at all. I’m surrounded by a lot of actors, and at some point I thought, “I can be a casting director.” I studied it properly, and here I am today.

PartyJollof Africa: Talking about seeing opportunities and riding on them, that’s a giant stride. Well done, talking about production, what drew you to it and what has kept you passionate about it so far?

Heavens Obule: What drew me to production was seeing a lot of things in the industry that I didn’t like. Instead of just talking or criticizing, I asked myself, “What can I do about it?” I believe in being the change you talk about. I’m not the kind of person who only talks. I talk and do. About what keeps me going is that there are millions of souls connected to me through my stories. That responsibility alone pushes me and then, there is the desire to create a space for every creative to shine.

PartyJollof Africa: Again, we will say you have a knack for spotting opportunities, grabbing them, and making the most out of them. So, as a producer, how do you keep everything running smoothly?

Heavens Obule: The best answer to this question is that I employ only competent hands. One of my mantras is “Everything is possible.” I love positive people. If I sense an “it can’t work” spirit in you, I won’t even bother employing you and this alone has kept things running smoothly. Having the right team is key and can’t be overemphasized. A team that will make things work even when things go south. Sometimes things don’t go as planned, but they still deliver.

PartyJollof Africa: Can you tell us about an unforgettable project you were involved in?

Heavens Obule: Hmmm. We went to shoot a short film and traveled all the way to Dangote Refinery in Epe. The shoot itself was great, but on our way back, our driver almost killed us, literally. We risked our lives on that production. People’s children were inside the car. It was very dramatic.

PartyJollof Africa: What exactly happened on the way?

Heavens Obule: The driver was driving recklessly, very fast, entering potholes. Our lives were literally in our mouths. Omo! It was such a dramatic ride. The driver wanted to kill us, but God didn’t allow it. We got home safely.

PartyJollof Africa: What an experience. Thank God for journey mercy. For you, what does the process of planning and preparing for a production look like?

Heavens Obule: First, you get a script. Then you do a breakdown. After that, you hire your crew, which isn’t easy, that’s one of the hardest parts of the job then before considering getting your cast.

PartyJollof Africa: Classic move, you’ve got there. On the side, we’ve heard people calling you “Commissioner of Happiness”, where did the name come from and what’s the story behind it?

Heavens Obule: (smiles) Well, to answer where the name came from, my friend Peace Oni gave me that name but to the story behind it, let’s leave it for another day.

PartyJollof Africa: Let’s come back to film, acting, directing, and casting. We know so well that film sets can be chaotic. How do you handle the pressure that comes from these sets and still stay calm?

Heavens Obule: (smiles) I breathe and eat food. I mean, I really eat food (laughs). Then I take things one step at a time with a clear mind.

PartyJollof Africa: You sure deserve an award for most chilled producer, being specific on the food as well, we need to send a truckload of food to you soon. Talking about your job in What’s the biggest misconception people have about it?

Heavens Obule: First of all, people think the job is easy, just stand in front of the camera and act or just shout action to direct. They think it’s a hobby, something we just do by the side to survive but to make this clear, it’s a job. A full-time job.

PartyJollof Africa: I hope people at the back heard that. How do you collaborate with producers, directors, and crew to bring a vision to life?

Heavens Obule: I pitch my ideas. I love pitching. Once we are in sync, we bring the story to life together.

PartyJollof Africa: As a casting director, are you sometimes biased toward certain actors for production reasons?

Heavens Obule: Yes o, I’m biased. I’m a casting director and also a talent manager, so I’ll definitely think about my talents first.

PartyJollof Africa: Do you mind mentioning some of your talents?

Heavens Obule: Like stated before, I’m a co-founder of Take One Production, which is branching into a talent management arm called Take One Talent. We’ll be one year this month, and it’s been beautiful working with great talents. Some of them include Omotunde Adeyemo, who featured in Daniel Etim-Effiong’s Netflix movie The Herd. Favor Ettim, who featured in an Africa Magic original series then there is Princess Obuse, who featured in Vincent Okonkwo netflix series The Covenant, and veteran thespian Patrick Dibua, known for films like The Wives, Where Love Lives, and many more.

PartyJollof Africa: Beautiful and impressive. It’s 2026 already, what do you have in stock for us this year?

Heavens Obule: By God’s grace, I want to produce a cinema movie this year. Just keep your fingers crossed.

PartyJollof Africa: Thank you, Heavens Obule, for giving us an honest and inspiring look into your world. Your journey speaks loudly of consistency, courage, and commitment to growth. As you continue to create, build, and open doors for others, we can only wish you more wins ahead. You are a star, and your light is clearly just getting brighter. See you at the top.

Heavens Obule: Thank you for having me!

And just like that, our conversation with Heavens Obule comes to a close, but his story is clearly still unfolding. From acting to producing, casting, and talent management, he continues to prove that passion, purpose, and preparation can coexist in one journey.

As Nollywood keeps evolving, creatives like Heavens are helping shape its future by creating room for others, telling stories that matter, and leading with intention. We’ll be watching closely as he takes the next big steps, especially toward the cinema screen.

Until then, this is one journey worth following.