Initially hesitant, Jegede was swayed by a friend to feature in the iconic 2Baba’s African queen video

Popular Nollywood actress and producer Yvonne Jegede has revealed how a last-minute change of heart led to her iconic appearance in 2Baba’s African Queen music video—despite initially rejecting the offer outright.

The 41-year-old shared her story during a candid session on the Nollywood on Radio podcast, explaining that she was laser-focused on acting when the opportunity first came.

“The director called me and I just said no,” Jegede said. “I wasn’t interested in doing music videos. It didn’t align with what I was trying to build at the time.”

Back in 2004, Yvonne wasn’t familiar with Tuface’s solo work. “He had just left Plantashun Boiz, and I hadn’t heard any of his new music. I didn’t even know what ‘African Queen’ was,” she admitted.

It wasn’t until a conversation with a friend later that evening that her mind shifted. “I told him someone wanted me to be in this African Queen video. He screamed, ‘Are you mad? Go and do it now!’ That changed everything.”

She quickly called the director back, got the shoot details, and joined the production. “That’s how I met 2Baba for the first time,” she recalled. “It felt surreal.”

Though her appearance helped boost her visibility, Yvonne emphasized that her heart was never in the video vixen world. “I made it clear—acting is what I love,” she said. She went on to appear in only one more video—Djinee’s Ego—as a favour.

Today, Yvonne Jegede is a household name in Nollywood, respected for her talent and production work. Her unexpected role in African Queen remains a nostalgic moment in Nigeria’s entertainment history.