Renowned Nollywood actress and producer, Funke Akindele, has asserted that she is a self-made star, attributing her rise in the film industry to God, hard work, and perseverance.
Speaking at the Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN) 2025 Media Sales Conference in Lagos, Akindele reflected on her journey to stardom, emphasizing that she built her career from scratch.
"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," she stated.
However, Akindele acknowledged the influence of veteran singer D’banj, who played a crucial role in shaping her perspective on the Jenifa brand. She recounted how a conversation with him reignited her passion for the franchise.
“Amidst the buzz, a club owner invited me to his club, where I met D’banj. He asked what I was doing with the ‘Jenifa’ brand. I told him I had moved on. But he insisted, ‘No, you have to milk it. That’s a brand. Go and write another script.’ He even gave me some money, and I went back and continued writing,” she revealed.
Funke Akindele first gained recognition in the TV series I Need to Know (1998-2002) before achieving nationwide fame with her blockbuster film Jenifa (2008). Today, she holds the record as the highest-grossing producer in Nigerian cinema history, with her films consistently breaking box office records.
