Popular Nollywood actress and producer, Funke Akindele, has described herself as self-made, attributing her success in the film industry to hard work, dedication, and divine favour.
Akindele made the statement at the 2025 Media Sales Conference organized by the Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN) in Lagos.
Speaking at the event, she emphasized that her rise to stardom was driven by personal efforts but acknowledged the role veteran singer D’banj played in shaping her career path.
According to Akindele, the turning point in her career came with the release of her movie *Jenifa* in 2009, which earned her widespread recognition. She revealed that D’banj encouraged her to continue developing the *Jenifa* brand when she had plans to move on.
“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, and I met D’banj there. He asked what I was doing with the *Jenifa* brand, and I said I had moved on. He told me not to let the brand go and gave me some money to continue writing.”
Akindele rose to fame after featuring in the TV series *I Need to Know* between 1998 and 2002, but her breakthrough came with *Jenifa*.
She currently holds the record as the highest-grossing producer in Nigerian cinema.
