This is Olufunke Ayotunde Akindele, a Nigerian Actress and Producer, Script writer and Entrepreneur. She is mostly referred to as Funke Akindele . Funke was born in her home town in Ikorodu local government area, Lagos State on the 24th of August 1977 to Mr. Richard Akindele a retired school principal and Mrs Alice Akindele, a medical doctor. She attended Grace Children Schools, Gbagada and Lagos State Model College, Igbo-kuta for her primary and secondary education respectively. Funke has an OND in Mass Communication from Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Ogun State and a Law degree from the University of Lagos.
Her journey to stardom began when she played the role of a curious but brilliant secondary school student in a popular TV series, I Need to Know which aired from 1998 -2002. I Need to Know is a United Nations Population Fund sponsored Sitcom program created to enlighten the public on the issues teenagers face while growing up.
Funke has featured, written and produced many Nollywood movies especially Yoruba movies and has many hit movies to her name. Some of her hit movies are Maami, Iru Oka (Cobra’s tail), Omo Ghetto, Ojo Ketala (13thDay) and A Trip to Jamaica. Funke Akindele got her major breakthrough when she played the main character in a comedy-drama movie, Jenifa. Today she is also known as “Jenifa, for her role as a local girl who moved to Lagos in search of a better life in the movie.
Funke is not just successful in acting, she is also a skilled entrepreneur. She owns an acting school, Scene One School of Drama. Scene One School of Drama teaches aspiring actors, producers and dancers how to develop their talents and be the best in their creative careers. Funke Akindele is also the CEO of Scene One Production. Scene One Production is a content production company for television stations and movies. Scene One production also has entertainment platforms- www.sceneone.tv and a mobile app for watching TV series, Nollywood movies, TV shows and music. Funke Akindele currently runs an NGO called Jenifa's foundation aimed at providing young people with vocational skills. Her net worth is over 3.5 million dollars.
She has won several awards; in 2009, she won the awards for Best Actress Leading Role at Africa Movie Academy Awards and the Best Actress at Nigerian Entertainment Awards. In 2012, she won awards for Best Actress Nollywood Movie awards and Best Actress at Zulu African Film Academy Awards. In 2013, she won the award for Best Actress (Indigenous) at Nollywood Movies Awards and in 2014, she won awards as Best Actress (Comedy) at Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards, Brand Ambassador of the Year at ELOY Awards and Best Actress (Leading Role) at Nigerian Entertainment Awards . In 2016, she won several awards as Best Actress in Comedy at Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards, Sitcom of the Year at Naija FM Awards, Best Actress Africa Collaboration @ Ghana Movies Awards and Best Actress of the Year at Africa Entertainment Legend Awards. In 2017, she won awards as Best Actress in Comedy Movies at Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards and Best Lead Actress at Nigerian Entertainment Awards. In 2020, she won the award at the Africa Viewers Choice Awards as the Best Supporting Actress in a movie or TV series.
She has a lot of endorsement deals with different brands. Some of the brands include Lagos State Inland Revenue Service, Iroko TV, Vitafoam, Western Lotto, Dettol, Sports betting company 1960 Bet and many more. In August 2018,she was endorsed as an ambassador of Keystone bank. In 2019, she also signed a deal with Waw; a company that produces detergents and bar soaps. In 2020, it was reported widely that she signed an endorsement deal with NCDC( Nigeria's centre for disease control) but after her violation on Social distancing by organising a birthday party for her husband, NCDC has denied her endorsement, they said anybody that violates one of covid19 rule is not an ambassador of NCDC.
She has experienced a lot of scandal on social media, she was accused severally in engaging in illicit relationships. Funke had marital challenges; after many years of failed relationship she got married to her first husband Alhaji Kehinde Almaroof which only lasted for one year, she is currently married to a Nigerian Musician called Abdulrasheed Bello A.K.A JJC skillz; the marriage welcomed a set of twin boys in 2018.
The Nollywood star is known for her confidence in the African race, one of her popular sayings is that “black is beautiful” and “everyone should be comfortable in their own skin". She is a true example of the adage that says nothing can stop a determined mind. Funke Akindele is an inspiration. Indeed, you can be all you want to be. The choice is yours and the future is female!
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