In this article, you get to know more about this versatile and Veteran actor named Funke Akindele. 

The pioneer and the brain behind the popular home display video ‘Jenifa’s diary’; comic displays arranged in episodes to put a smile on the face of the audience, the episodic movies had made a great impact and hit in the Nigerian entertainment sector.

     Funke Akindele’s Profile

Full Name	Akindele Olufunke Ayotunde
Stage Name	Jenifa
Date of Birth	24 August 1977 (age 44)
Place of Birth	Lagos state, Nigeria
Spouse	Abdul Rasheed Bello (JJC Skillz) (Seperated)
Net Worth	$3.5 million
Social Media Handles	Instagram @funkejenifaakindele Twitter @funkeakindele

Funke Akindele Biography

The Nigerian Actress and film producer named Akindele-Bello Olufunke Ayotunde, been popularly tagged as ‘Jenifa’ in Nigerian homes prompted her active role in the episodic play ‘Jenifa’s Diary’ which she pioneered, she was born on the 24th of August 1976 in Ikorodu, Lagos State.

Her presence was generally acknowledged when she was featured in the sitcom; I NEED TO KNOW which existed in the year 1998-2002, sponsored by the United Nations Population funds (UNFPA), since then she’s been an all-time award winner.

Early life & Education

Akindele was born and nurtured in Ikorodu, Lagos State. She has a sister and as well a brother which makes them three children to her parents. Her mother happens to be a medical doctor and her father a retired school principal.
She obtained an Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Mass Communication from the former Ogun State Polytechnic, now Moshood Abiola Polytechnic and Obtained a degree at the University of Lagos where she studied Law

Career

In the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) sponsored sitcom; I Need to Know, Funke Akindele was cast as Bisi (a curious and highly intelligent secondary school student).
Her movie titled Jenifa, was another huge breakthrough for Her as she released it in the year 2009
She won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. She also plays the lead character in the hit TV show Jenifa’s Diary, alongside Fisayo Ajisola, Falz, Lolo, and more. The show is a spin-off from the movie titled Jenifa, she currently has over a 100 movies to her credit as an actress, writer, and producer, she’s been endorsed as an ambassador to the IrokoTv
She runs a non-governmental organization known as THE JENIFA FOUNDATION, whose aims and objectives involve nurturing talents and acquiring vocational skills.

Akindele was nominated as the Lagos deputy governorship candidate under Peoples Democratic Party (Nigeria) in the upcoming 2023 elections. In justifying her nomination, Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, noted that the actress will add more value to his candidacy in the 2023 general elections. Confirming her deputy governorship candidacy, the actress stated that her acting career must be “necessarily put on hold”.

Personal Life

She got married to Adeola Kehinde Oloyede on the 26th of May 2012, divorced in July 2013 a year and two months after the wedding, she then got married a Nigerian rapper Abdul Rasheed Bello (JJC Skillz) in May 2016 in London and they got Seperated Recently (2022) after JJC skillz publicly announced their separation. 

 Controversy 

In April 2020, Akindele was arrested and charged in court for hosting a birthday party in honour 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. The actress and her husband were sentenced to a 14-day community service after pleading guilty to violating the lockdown order.

Movies

• My siblings and I
• Jenifa
• Jenifa’s Diary
• Your Excellency
• Maami
• Industreet
• A Trip to Jamaica
• Return of Jenifa
• Isoken
• Moms at War
• Chief Daddy
• Omo Ghetto
• Married but Living Single
• Apaadi
• Emi Abata
• Love Wahala
• Ladies Gang
• Anointed Liars
• Bolode O’ku
• Farayola
• Ija Ola
• Aje Metta
• Apoti Orogun
• Atanpako Meta
• Kakaki ‘leku
• Omo Pupa
• Taiwo Taiwo
• Akandun
• Baye se Nlo
• Edunjobi
• Egun
• Maku
• Oba Irawo
• Okun Ife Yi
• Agbefo
• Kòséfowórà
• Odun Baku
• Oreke Mulero
• Osuwon Eda

Awards and Nominations 

Year	Event	Prize	Work	Result
2009	Africa Movie Academy Award	Best Actress Leading Role		Won
	2009 Nigeria Entertainment Awards	Best Actress	Jenifa	Won
2010	2010 Best of Nollywood Awards	Best Actress in a Leading Role (Yoruba)	Oguni Aiku	Nominated
2012	2012 Nigeria Entertainment Awards	Best Actress	Troj	Won
	2012 Nollywood Movies Awards	Best Actress (Indigenous)	Emi Abata	Won
	2012 Best of Nollywood Awards	Best Actress (English)	Married but Living Single	Nominated
	Zulu African Film Academy Awards	Best Actress	Maami and The Return of Jenifa	Won
2013	2013 Nollywood Movies Awards	Best Actress (Leading Role)	Maami	Nominated
		Best Actress (Indigenous)		Won
2014	2014 Nigeria Entertainment Awards	Best Actress (Leading Role)	Agnetta O’Mpa	Won
	2014 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards	Best Actress (Comedy)	The Return of Sheri Koko	Won
	ELOY Awards	Brand Ambassador of the Year	Omo	Won
2016	2016 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards	Best Actress In Comedy Role	Jenifa’s Diary	Won
	Nigeria Entertainment Awards	Best Actress Series		Nominated
	Naija FM Awards	Sitcom Of The Year		Won
		Best Actress in Comedy		Won
	Africa Entertainment Legend Awards	Best Actress of the Year		Won
	2016 Ghana Movies Awards	Best Actress Africa Collaboration	A Trip to Jamaica	Won
2017	2017 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards	Best TV Series	Jenifa’s Diary	Won
		Best Actress in a Comedy Movie or TV Series		Won
			A Trip to Jamaica	Nominated
	2017 Nigeria Entertainment Awards	Best Lead Actress		Won
2020	2020 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards	Best Actress in a comedy	Moms At War	Won
2021	Net Honours	Most Popular Actress		Won
		Most Searched Actress		Nominated
	Africa Movie Academy Awards	Best Actress in a Leading Role	Omo Ghetto: The Saga	Nominated
2022	Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards	Best Actress in A Comedy		Won
		Best Costume Designer		Won
		Best Movie West Africa		Nominated
		Best Overall Movie		Nominated
		Best Television Series	Jenifa’s Diary	Nominated
		Best Africa Magic Original Comedy Series	My Siblings & I	Nominated
	NET Honours	Most Popular Actress		Won

 

Networth

Funke Akindele is worth $3.5 million, she’s an ambassador to IrokoTv and there are some other endorsement deals to her name.

Social media handles

Instagram: @funkejenifaakindele
Twitter: @funkeakindele