During an Arise TV interview, the 35-year-old actress shared that stepping into these complex roles leaves her mentally drained as she constantly shifts between intense emotional extremes. She noted that the experience has deepened her compassion for individuals genuinely navigating mental health conditions.

Ooja pointed out the difficulty of rapidly alternating between disparate emotions like joy, sorrow, and rage while keeping up with the demands of a performance. She recounted instances on set where the director had to intervene because she naturally slipped back into her normal demeanor instead of holding the character’s emotional state.

Reflecting on the experience, she remarked: “I think that because it was more mentally draining for me; when you’re a normal person playing a bipolar role, it’s a lot of work. This gave me so much empathy for people actually dealing with mental health issues because it was draining. My director would sometimes have to call me because he’s like, you’re not staying on tempo, you’re going back to normal, you can’t be normal. So, it was so draining having to be crying, laughing, angry so many emotions in one.”

In an interview with Saturday Beats, the actress explained that while she initially felt deeply hurt, she has chosen not to harbor resentment, acknowledging how easily rumors and gossip spread within the entertainment industry. She noted that many individuals chose to act on hearsay rather than reaching out directly to verify facts, which she believes led to her unjust treatment and indefinite suspension.

Reflecting on the darkest moments of her illness, Abubakar expressed pain over the total lack of visits or check-ins from certain colleagues, stating that she felt left to her fate. However, she emphasized that she holds no sense of entitlement toward anyone.

“They don’t owe me anything, and I do not owe them anything,” she stated, attributing her survival entirely to her faith in God.

While she witnessed the true character and judgments of many during her ordeal, Abubakar noted that she has moved past the negativity and retains affection for her colleagues, recognizing that they may have simply been swayed by false narratives.

She also took time to express profound gratitude to the individuals who genuinely rallied around her medically and financially. She specifically thanked musician Patoranking and footballer Ahmed Musa for their kindness, while noting that her numerous messages to Don Jazzy went unanswered. Furthermore, Abubakar expressed immense appreciation for former BBNaija star Mercy Eke, alongside junior colleagues Destiny Etiko, Lizzy Gold, Monica Friday, Queeneth Agbor, and Regina Daniels, whom she credited with providing vital support and facilitating free medical treatment.