Nigeria, May 21 -- Once upon a time in Nigeria, the path to stardom was a journey of dedication and hard work. Whether you were a musician, actor, filmmaker, or artist, you had to earn your place in the spotlight. It was a long road to stardom, with no shortcuts; you had to be good, or really good, in your craft. If you're familiar with the early years of Nollywood, think of the post-Living in Bondage era, you'll understand the significance of Winis Hotel, Surulere.

Before social media proliferation in Nigeria, aspiring and budding actors would converge on the lobby of this hotel or loiter around Folawiyo Bankole Street, where the hotel was located, hoping to be picked by filmmakers and cast in their next big movies, as most auditions an...