Funke Akindele is one of the prominent actresses in Nigeria. She has been in the Nigerian movie industry popularly known as Nollywood for over two decades. She is always known for featuring in comedy movies. Her real name is Funke Akindele Ayotunde, but she is popularly known as Funke Akindele or Jenifa. She is a famous Nollywood actress, producer, model, television personality, entrepreneur and a philanthropist. She has been described as one of the best comic actress in Nigeria. She is very beautiful, gifted, skillful, creative and talented in acting and interpretation of movie roles.
She knows how to interpret her roles very well and can fit in any character given to her by movie directors and producers in Nigeria. She always features in romantic movies, comedy and action thriller movies. She has been regarded as one of the highest paid actresses in Nigeria and also one of the best performing actresses in Nigeria.
Funke Akindele was born on 24th August 1977 in Ikorodu, Lagos State in the south western part of Nigeria. She is currently 42 years old. She is the second child in a family of three children comprising of two girls and one boy. Her mother is a medical doctor while her father is a retired school principal.
She is very beautiful, gifted, skillful, creative and talented. She always acts funny in movies with her hilarious style of communication. She has been in the Nigerian movie industry popularly known as Nollywood for over two decades.
Funke Akindele completed her primary school education in Calabar, Cross River State in the south southern part of Nigeria and obtained her First School Leaving Certificate. After which she completed her secondary school education in Ikorodu, Lagos State in the south western part of Nigeria and obtained her West African Senior School Certificate.
After completing her primary and secondary school education, Funke Akindele proceeded to former Ogun State Polytechnic now referred to as Moshood Abiola Polytechnic in Ogun State in the south western part of Nigeria and obtained a National Diploma (OND) in Mass Communication. While still in secondary school, she was actively involved in school drama, theatre, and performing art.
After obtaining her national diploma in mass communication, Funke Akindele proceeded to University of Lagos in Akoka, Yaba, Lagos State in the south western part of Nigeria and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Law. She started acting right from her secondary school days and performed at different drama club and stage play. In 1998, Funke Akindele joined the Nigerian movie industry popularly known as Nollywood officially and started attending movie auditions and acting as minor character in movies.
Funke Akindele in the cause of her acting career has acted in more than 200 Nollywood movies. Some of the movies she has acted include Jenifa, Anointed Liars, Blood is Money, A Trip to Jamaica, Ladies Gang, Jenifa’s Diary, Final Whistle, Atlanta, Pretty Liars, New Horizons, Blood is Money, Omo Ghetto, Aje Meta, Agbara Ife, Maami, Isoken, and many more.
Funke Akindele has a lot of endorsement deals to her name. She is currently a brand ambassador for Irokotv and has an endorsement deal with a telecom giant in Nigeria GLO worth millions of naira. In 2014, Funke Akindele produced a popular television series “Jenifa’s Diary” which is currently trending on television till date.
Funke Akindele rose to prominence in 2002 after featuring in United Nations Population Fund sponsored sitcom television series titled “I Need to Know” in which she played the role of Bisi, a curious but highly intelligent secondary school student. The television series which ran from 1998 to 2002 earned her a nomination for Best New Act to Watch at the Africa Movie Academy Awards.
In 2009, Funke Akindele became a public figure after starring in the Nollywood blockbuster movie “Jenifa” a movie that gave her the nickname Jenifa and won her an award for Best Comic Actress in Nigeria at the Africa Movie Academy Awards.
In 2013, Funke Akindele won the award for Best Actress in a Leading Role and Best Indigenous Actress at the Nollywood Movies Awards. In 2014, she won two awards which include Best Actress (Comedy) at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards and Brand Ambassador of the Year at the Exquisite Lady of the Year Awards.
In 2016, she won three awards which include Best Actress in Comedy at the Naija FM Awards, Best Actress of the Year at the Africa Entertainment Legends Awards and Best Actress in Africa at the Ghana Movie Awards. In 2017, she won three awards which include Best TV Series at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards, Best Actress in a Comedy Movie and TV Series at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards and Best Lead Actress in Nigeria at the Nigeria Entertainment Awards.
Funke Akindele in the cause of her acting career has won so many awards and recognitions. In 2009, she won two awards which include Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Africa Movie Academy Awards and Best Actress in Nigeria at the Nigeria Entertainment Awards.
In 2010, she won the award for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Yoruba) at the Best of Nollywood Awards. In 2012, she won four awards which include Best Indigenous Actress at the Nollywood Movies Awards, Best Actress at the Nigeria Entertainment Awards, Best Actress (English) at the Best of Nollywood Awards and Best Actress at the Zulu African Film Academy Awards.
Funke Akindele currently has an estimated net worth of over $2 million, making her one of the richest and most influential actress in Nigeria. She is also very popular on social media with more than 10 million followers on her official Instagram account and Facebook page.
In 2011, she was honored by the Nigerian Federal Government as a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) which happens to be the highest honor and award given to a celebrity in Nigeria who has contributed immensely to the economy growth and development of the country through entertainment.
Funke Akindele is considered to be one of the most sought-after actress in Nigeria and also one of the highest paid actress in Nigeria. She is indeed a great character to watch out for in the Nigerian movie industry popularly known as Nollywood.
Funke Akindele is currently one of the most popular actress in Nigeria. On 26th May 2012, Funke Akindele got married to her long time boyfriend Adeola Kehinde Oloyede. In July 2013, she divorced her husband citing irreconcilable differences as the cause of the annulment. After the divorce of her first husband, in May 2016, Funke Akindele got married again, this time to a Nigerian rapper “Abdul Rasheed Bello” popularly known by his stage name as “JJC Skillz” in London, United Kingdom.
In 2014, the movie “Sheri Koko” won her the award for Best Comedy Actress in Nigeria at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards. In 2016, she won the award for Best Actress of the Year at the Africa Entertainment Legend Awards for her role in the television series Jenifa’s Diary, a film she produced and starred in as a lead character, which is still showing on television till date.