Akindele-Bello Olufunke Ayotunde Funke Akindele or “Jenifa” as many know her, is a beautiful, talented and world-recognized Nigerian actress who has been doing well in the limelight as a woman with great vision when it comes to shaping her career. She is undoubtedly one of Nigeria’s most talented Nollywood actresses and has received several accolades for this feat. She is funny, relentless, and packed with energy.
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION
Olufunke Ayotunde Akindele was born to parents Mr. and Dr. Banjo Akindele on August 24, 1977 in Ikorodu, Lagos State. The second of three children, Funke Akindele attended Grace Children School, Gbagada, before moving on to get her OND from Moshood Abiola Polytechnic. Funke Akindele further pursued a law degree from the prestigious University of Lagos.
CAREER
Funke Akindele’s journey to stardom started with her character in the United Nations-sponsored sitcom “I Need to Know.”. She played the role of a curious secondary school teenager from 1998 till 2002. The sitcom was created to increase awareness of the issues that teenagers face during puberty.
The ” Jenifa” actress pushed her career further by featuring in other movie productions, especially indigenous movies.
The young and vibrant Funke Akindele struck gold when she starred in her breakthrough comedy-drama, “Jenifer, “-where she played the character of a local girl attempting to put on a fake appearance of being born with a silver spoon. The hilarious drama received accolades for highlighting the societal issues with false living.
The movie gave birth to her TV series, “Jenifa’s Diary,” which has become a household show in Nigeria and the diaspora. “Jenifa’s Diary” has featured stars like Lota Chukwu (Kiki), comedian Lolo, Folarin Falana (Falz), and Olayode Juliana (Toyo Baby).
Nigerian actress, Funke Akindele, has recorded many successes in her acting career. In 2018, the award-winning actress was reportedly set to star in a Hollywood production, ” Marvel’s: Avengers Infinity War.”.
The rumor was further strengthened by an IMDb listing her as a cast member. According to reports, Funke AKindele was meant to star as the guard Dora Milaje based on information on the IMDb website.
However, speculations died after Genevieve Nnaji was also cited as a cast member on the movie site. It was later discovered that the IMDb site might have been hacked.
Meanwhile, reports showed that Senate President of the National assembly, Dr. Bukola Saraki, had called for the actress’s feature in the Marvel Studios movie.
The 45-year-old actress made her debut as a director in 2019 with the movie “Your Excellency”. Setting the bar higher, Funke Akindele co-produced her box office hit, “Omoghetto; The Saga.” The movie became the highest-grossing Nollywood movie of all time after raking in more than N468 million at the box office in one month, according to the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria.
PERSONAL LIFE
On May 26, 2012, Funke Akindele married Adeola Kehinde Oloyede. The couple divorced in July 2013, citing irreconcilable differences. Funke Akindele married Nigerian rapper JJC Skillz in London in May 2016 Her pregnancy rumors were among the top search results on Google search engine in August 2017. Funke Akindele gave birth to twin boys in December 2018 and has several step-children.
Controversies Involving Funke Akindele
In April 2020, Akindele was arrested and charged in court for hosting a birthday party in honor of her husband during the period of an imposed lockdown (to tackle coronavirus. She later appeared in a Nigeria Centre for Disease Control video to raise awareness about coronavirus actress and her husband were sentenced to 14-day community service after pleading guilty to violating the lockdown order.
NET WORTH
The award-winning actress Funke Akindele is the third richest actress in Nigeria, with an estimated net worth of about 7.6 million dollars. Based on her endorsement portfolio with international brands and proceeds from movie sales – Akindele has made a mark with her remarkable acting and impressive financial empire.
Funke Akindele’s net worth in 2022 puts her in the same category list as some of Nigeria’s richest actresses, such as Genevieve Nnaji, Rita Dominic, and others.
She is currently the CEO of Scene One movie productions, mentoring young and aspiring actors in the industry. Funke Akindele is a force in the Nigerian movie industry; her venture into the political space has confirmed her ability to wear multiple hats whenever the situation requires it.
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