Funke Akindele is a genius in her field. The star-studded actress has waxed on stronger for years and years, creating one of the best comedy series in the country. An era which began eleven years ago is on its way to becoming an empire. Over time, so much news has surrounded Funke Akindele and her husband. Others seem to be rumours of twins, however, stories like Funke Akindele’s children will be in her own time and truth. For a career that hasn’t even reached its prime, Funke Akindele’s biography will be one for the industry as Funke Akindele movies are by far one of the most anticipated in the film industry as they are always quality, entertaining, informative and educative. The messages are always socially conscious. Funke Akindele is a Nigerian actress and producer, one of the best in the game.
Early Life
Funke Akindele was born Ayotunde Olufunke Akindele on August 24th, 1977 in Ikorodu, Lagos, Nigeria and is the second of three children. Born to a medical doctor mother and a retired school principal father, Funke Akindele obtained an Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Mass Communication at Ogun State Polytechnic now Moshood Abiola Polytechnic. Her education didn’t stop there, super Funke went on to bag a law degree from the University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba. Funke Akindele worked for television for a period of time, before switching to acting.
Career
Funke Akindele began her career in 1998 when she appeared as ‘Bisi’ in the United Nations Population Fund sponsored sitcom ‘I Need You to Know’. The sitcom ran from 1998 to 2002. Funke Akindele’s character was an intelligent secondary school student, who was very curious. Her big break came when she starred as Suliat/Jenifa in the successful 2007 release ‘Jenifa’. Jenifa was Yoruba Nollywood movie, that had the industry shaking. The poster was up on walls in almost every state in the south-west. Jenifa is a character that earned her the recognition she deserves, and the character still lives eleven years on through Funke Akindele’s comedy series ‘Jenifa’s Diary’. Funke Akindele has over a hundred movies to her name, some of which she produced, co-produced and wrote. In 2009, her name set headlines ablaze when she won the award for the Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Africa Movie Academy Award. From then on, the awards kept rolling in. Jenifa became a household name. The awards kept rolling in and her career soared. Over time Funke Akindele has bagged endorsement deals from major brands like Glo, StarTimes, IrokoTV and more. What is soon to be five years marked the beginning of the remarkable TV series Jenifa’s Diary. The production touches on so many social, political and economic issues and was by far the most watched comedy TV series among university students. Funke Akindele is so influential, her characters influence speech patterns of fans for fun interactions. It is no doubt that Funke Akindele is going places and she has only scratched the surface.
Jenifa Foundation is a non-governmental organisation founded by Funke Akindele. The organisation reaches out to people with the aim of empowering them by helping them acquire and harness their skills in the art. This is beneficial to the next generation because it provides a platform for them to grow in an industry that has worked its way up the support ladder. Asides being a servant leader, Funke Akindele has impeccable style. Her style can be described as simple yet classy and unique. Tailored to perfection, Funke Akindele slays any red carpet or event. Also, contrary to what some people believe, Funke Akindele does not speak like Jenifa, though they share similar qualities. Both persons are go-getters, determined, focused and not afraid to make mistakes. If you knock her down nine times, she gets up 10. Funke Akindele’s performance in different genres has let the audience know that she can play any character. Her role in ‘Maami’ reminded the industry who she was, is and forever be, a star. Her role fit like a glove. Watching her switch from such an emotional role to one as comedic as Jenifa is the real action. It is flawless.
Personal Life & Marriage
Funke Akindele being a celebrity has a large fan base and her fan base love to know everything about her. Hence, her private life is a search worthy topic for the media and the fans. In recent times the topic of Funke Akindele’s husband has made the rounds, however, she put wagging tongues to sleep by keeping it away from the public. In May 2012, Funke Akindele married Adeola Kehinde Oloyede. Citing irreconcilable differences, the pair divorced in July 2013. The actress kept her love life a secret from then on. Rumours made its round on social media of Funke Akindele’s relationship with popular rapper, actor and producer Abdul Rasheed Bello popularly called JJC Skillz. Subsequent Instagram posts confirmed that the pair were an item. In a private affair in London 2016, Funke Akindele tied the knot with the love of her life
Awards & Recognition.
In her long career, Funke Akindele has many awards to her name. Below is a list of some of them.
| Year | Event | Prize | Recipient | Result |
| 2009 | Africa Movie Academy Award | Best Actress Leading Role | Jenifa | Won |
| 2009 Nigeria Entertainment Awards | Best actress | Jenifa | Won | |
| 2010 | 2010 Best of Nollywood Awards | Best Actress Leading role (Yoruba) | Oguni Aiku | Nominated |
| 2012 | 2012 Nigeria Entertainment Awards | Best Actress | Troj | Won |
| 2012 Nollywood Movies Awards | Best Actress (Indigenous) | Emi Abata | Won | |
| 2012 Best of Nollywood Awards | Best Actress (English) | Married but Living Single | Nominated | |
| Zulu African Film Academy Awards | Best Actress | Maami and The Return of Jenifa | Won | |
| 2013 | 2013 Nollywood Movies Awards | Best Actress (Leading Role) | Maami | Nominated |
| Best Actress (Indigenous) | Won | |||
| 2014 | 2014 Nigeria Entertainment Awards | Best Actress (Leading Role) | Agnetta O’mmpa | Won |
| 2014 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards | Best Actress (Comedy) | The Return of Sheri Koko | Won | |
| ELOY AWARDS | Brand Ambassador of the Year | Omo | Won | |
| 2016 | 2016 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards | Best Actress In Comedy Role | Jenifa’s Diary | Won |
| Nigeria Entertainment Awards | Best Actress Series | Jenifa’s Diary | Nominated | |
| Naija Fm Awards | Sitcom Of The Year | Jenifa’s Diary | Won | |
| Best Actress In Comedy | Won | |||
| Africa Entertainment Legend Awards | Best Actress of the Year | Won | ||
| 2016 Ghana Movies Awards | Best Actress Africa Collaboration | A Trip to Jamaica | Won[17] | |
| 2017 | Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards | Best TV series | Jenifa’s Diary | Won |
| Best Actress in a Comedy Movie or TV Series | Jenifa’s Diary | Won | ||
| A Trip to Jamaica | Nominated | |||
| 2017 Nigeria Entertainment Awards | Best Lead Actress | Won |
