Nollywood actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has opened up about how she earned her first N1 million at 22 years.
In a video shared on her X account, Funke reflected on her early acting journey, revealing that the road to success was far from easy.
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The actress recounted how she began her career in 1996, taking on minor “Waka Pass” roles and enduring several rejections at auditions before her big break finally came.
“I made that around 1999. I started my career in 1996, playing waka pass roles, and in 1997, I went for auditions and got a lot of nos,” she said.
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The 48-year-old actress explained that her perseverance eventually paid off when she was cast in “I Need to Know,” which preceded her making her first million Naira.
“Then I got one big yes with “I Need to Know”, and that is how I got my first N1 million.”
“I Need to Know” was one of Nigeria’s early family-oriented TV series, airing on NTA from 1997 to 2002. It featured young Funke Akindele as Bisi, alongside Uche Ejiogu (Ngozi), Taiwo Lesh (Hauwa), and Amaka Egwuatu (Essien).
Backed by UNFPA, the show helped educate Nigerian teens on topics like reproductive health and growing up, making it one of the early TV dramas with a strong social message.
N1 million
Speaking of how she spent the money, Funke said the first person she told was her mother, who advised her to pay for her tithe before using any part of it.
“What did I do with one million naira? First, I showed it to my mom. Of course, she knew about it, and then mommy advised that I have to pay my tithe first,”
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“I paid my tithe, then entered Yaba because I didn’t have shoes. I changed my wardrobe, shoes, bags, everything. The girl who had no shoes yesterday has today,” she added.
Funke Akindele
Since starting her career in 1996, Funke has produced and starred in several popular movies, including Jenifa (2008), Omo Ghetto: The Saga (2020) and A Tribe Called Judah (2023), which became the highest-grossing Nigerian film.
Beyond acting, she has also ventured into politics and philanthropy. The Jenifa Diary lead actress contested as deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State 2023 Gubernatorial Election, running alongside Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor.
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