Award-winning Nollywood actress and producer Funke Akindele has called herself a self-made star, crediting her success to God, hard work, and dedication.
Speaking at the 2025 Media Sales Conference by the Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN) in Lagos, Akindele reflected on her rise to stardom, highlighting how she built her career from the ground up.
“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 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,” she said.
“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 stated.
Funke Akindele first gained recognition in the TV series I Need to Know (1998–2002) before rising to nationwide fame with her blockbuster Jenifa (2008). She currently holds the record as the highest-grossing producer in Nigerian cinema history.