Award-winning Nollywood actress, filmmaker, and producer Funke Akindele has made a bold statement about her rise to fame, declaring that she is a self-made star who owes her success to God, hard work, and relentless dedication to her craft.
During her speech at the Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN) 2025 Media Sales Conference held in Lagos, Akindele shared insights into her journey to stardom. She emphasized that her accomplishments in the entertainment industry were not handed to her on a silver platter but were a result of years of hard work, persistence, and resilience.
She said, “Nobody made me a star, only God. I wrote my script, and that was it. The first ‘Jenifa’ was released in 2009, and that was the turning point.”
While asserting that she built her career from the ground up, Funke Akindele also acknowledged the impact of veteran singer D’banj in helping her realize the potential of her Jenifa franchise. She recalled a pivotal moment when she met D’banj at a club, following the success of her movie ‘Jenifa.’
According to her, a club owner had invited her over, where she unexpectedly met D’banj. Their conversation turned out to be a game-changer for her career. She narrated how he asked her what she planned to do next with ‘Jenifa.’ At the time, she had moved on, believing that the project had run its course. However, D’banj strongly advised her against abandoning it and instead encouraged her to expand on the franchise. He reportedly told her, “No, you have to milk it. That’s a brand. Go and write another script.”
Funke Akindele further revealed that D’banj even offered her financial support, which motivated her to return to writing. His encouragement played a crucial role in the development of the sequel to ‘Jenifa,’ further cementing her place in the Nollywood industry.
Funke Akindele first gained recognition as an actress in the educational television series I Need to Know (1998-2002), where she played the role of Bisi. However, she achieved nationwide fame with her 2008 blockbuster movie Jenifa, which became a cultural phenomenon in Nigeria and beyond.
Over the years, she has evolved into one of the most successful figures in Nigerian cinema. She currently holds the record as the highest-grossing producer in Nigerian box office history, with several commercially successful films to her credit.