The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) event provided an intimate glimpse into the engine room of Funke Akindele, the woman who has redefined Nollywood’s box office commercial boundaries.
Akindele, known globally for the infectious vibrance of Jenifa, stood before her peers not as a celebrity but as a strategist who has navigated the trenches of an industry she describes as her “only home”.
Akindele dismantled the myth of the “overnight success.” Her journey, she noted, was paved with “years of hard work, dedication, and perseverance.”
“It’s not because I don’t have money to eat,” she clarified, her voice echoing the pragmatism of a CEO. “But I have to finish the job before I go back to eat. It is about staying focused and being intentional about success.” For Akindele, the “Big Girl” persona often seen on social media is a garment worn only after the “sleepless nights” have been clocked.
Perhaps the most visceral moment of the afternoon came when she pulled back the curtain on the marketing genius behind her record-breaking hit, Battle on Buka Street. At a time when the industry expected high-budget billboard campaigns, Akindele revealed she was operating on a shoestring.
“I didn’t have the marketing money,” she admitted. “I just created this backdrop in my sitting room, put a camera there, and started doing weird, crazy things.” It was this raw, digital-first approach, fuelled by her natural love for dance, that eventually set the internet ablaze. It was the refusal to follow the norm that eventually translated into box office gold. It proved that in the digital age, authenticity is a more valuable currency than a massive advertising spend.
“Regardless of the barriers… if you just stay at it, the world will hear your voice.”
Akindele urged a shift away from the “seniority” complex, suggesting that in the new Nollywood, “money be the senior.”
“Nollywood is what we have,” she noted, echoing the sentiments of industry veteran Mahmoud Ali-Balogun. “We must not bring it down. Prop it up. This is where we eat from.” Her plea for collaboration was, “Know your strength. Find someone whose strength is your weakness and work together.”
The Jenifa star spoke touchingly about the emotional sanctuary her work provides. She confessed that even in her darkest moments—specifically the passing of her mother—work and dance remained her “happy place,” a way to navigate grief through movement and creation.
Her final charge to the young creatives watching from the digital sidelines was a stirring reminder to stay the course. “Keep creating and own it,” she urged. “Don’t be desperate. Just do the right thing, and years after, you’ll be proud of what you see.”
