Newsonline reports that Akindele-Bello Olufunke Ayotunde popularly known as Funke Akindele /Jenifa is a Nigerian actress and producer. Funke starred in the sitcom I Need to Know from 1998 to 2002, and in 2009 she won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
She plays the lead character in the show Jenifa’s Diary, for which she was named Best Actress in a Comedy at the 2016 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards.
Akindele was born on August 24, 1977, in Ikorodu, Lagos State, Nigeria. Funke is the second of three children (two girls and one boy). Akindele’s mother is a Medical Doctor while her father is a retired School Principal.
Funke obtained an Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Mass Communication from the former Ogun State Polytechnic, now Moshood Abiola Polytechnic.
Akindele came into the limelight after starring in the popular United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)-sponsored sitcom I Need to Know, which ran from 1998 to 2002. Funke played Bisi, a curious but highly intelligent secondary school student. Funke Akindele’s big break came in 2008 when she appeared in the movie Jenifa.
In January 2018, there was a controversy when it was reported that Akindele would get her Hollywood debut in Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War as she was listed as a member of the cast on IMDb.
Mainstream Nigerian press reported that Jenifa was set to star in Infinity War as the guard Dora Milaje, citing IMDb. Some weeks later her name was replaced with that of fellow Nigerian actress Genevieve Nnaji, with Akindele’s upload shown to have been a hack.
In February 2018, it was reported that Senate President and Chairman of the National Assembly, Dr. Bukola Saraki has advised Marvel Studios to feature Akindele in Infinity War.
In July 2016, in an interview Akindele stated she was acting less in the Yoruba film industry at that time because of piracy. Akindele plays the lead character in the ongoing hit TV show Jenifa’s Diary, alongside Fisayo Ajisola, Falz, Juliana Olayode, and Aderounmu Adejumoke.
The show is a spin-off from the movie Jenifa. The 2018 comedy film Moms at War stars Akindele and Michelle Dede.
In July 2019, Akindele started a new web series, Aiyetoro Town, a spinoff from her popular TV series, Jenifa’s Diary. She is the CEO of Scene One Film Production.
She made her directorial debut in the 2019 political drama film Your Excellency.
Funke Akindele runs a non-governmental organization known as the Jenifa Foundation, which aims at providing young people with vocational skills.
| Real Name: | Olufunke Ayotunde Akindele |
| Age: | 44 years |
| Date of Birth: | August 24, 1977 |
| Hometown: | Ikorodu |
| State of Origin: | Lagos State |
| Husband: | • Kehinde Almaroof Oloyede (Divorced)• Abdul-Rasheed Bello (Divorced) |
| Occupation: | Actress • Entrepreneur |
| Parents: | Mr. & Mrs. Ayotunde Akindele |
| Children: | 2 |
| Net Worth: | $7.6 million |
Funke Akindele’s full name is Olufunke Ayotunde Akindele Bello. She was born and raised in Ikorodu, as the second child of three children. Her mother is a medical doctor while her father is a retired school principal. The 44-year-old actress hails from Ikorodu, Lagos State. She lost her father in December 2019.
What did Funke Akindele study in school? Did Funke Akindele attend Law school? Funke attended Grace Children School, Gbagada for her primary school education before proceeding to Lagos State Model College, Igbo-Okuta for her secondary education. She first obtained an Ordinary National Diploma Degree (OND) in Mass Communication from Ogun State Polytechnic, now called “Moshood Abiola Polytechnic” before earning a Law Degree from the University of Lagos.
How long has Funke Akindele acted? Funke Akindele started her acting career in 1998 at the age of 21, starring as “Bisi” in the United Nations Population Fund-sponsored sitcom”I Need to Know”. She starred in the sitcom from 1998 to 2002, playing the role of a curious but smart secondary school girl.
Her 2008 self-produced movie “Jenifa” shot her to the limelight and earned her the nickname “Jenifa”. Her movie “Omo Ghetto” also contributed to her fame. She released the sequel to the movie in 2020, titled “Omo Ghetto: The Saga”.
Following the success of her 2008 “Jenifa” movie, Funke launched a TV series titled “Jenifa’s Diary” as a sequel to the movie. She also launched a web series titled “Aiyetoro Town” in July 2019. The actress debuted as a director in 2019 with the movie “Your Excellency”.
Funke Akindele has starred in over 300 movies since the launch of her career in 1998. She has also signed endorsement deals with several big brands, including Kelloggs, Molfix, Dettol, Keystone Bank, Western Lotto, Iroko TV, amongst others.
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.
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.
How many Husbands has Funke Akindele Married? Funke Akindele has been married twice. She married JJC Skillz, a Nigerian singer, actor and film director. The couple got married in a private wedding ceremony in London in May 2016 and their union is blessed with a set of twins.
The couple had met in 2013 when Funke needed a director for her comedy series, “Jenifa’s Diary”. They both kept the relationship on the low for a while since they were both public figures and divorcees.
Funke Akindle and JJC Skillz have been married for over five years now and their union has been peaceful without any major drama or controversy. They both manage their production company together and it is clear they both adore each other.
It was shocking news for the lovers of Funke Akindele and her ex-husband Abdul Bello popularly known JJC Skillz as the latter announced that things have been really difficult for them and they have both separated. JJC made the announcement on his official Instagram page.
Rapper, Abdulrasheed Bello popularly known as JJC Skillz has announced his separation from his wife, actress Funke Akindele.
JJC announced via his official Instagram handle on Thursday morning stating that his marriage with Akindele has had issues for the last two years.
He stated that he had to move out of their home three months ago after Akindekle insisted he did, and had not been able to have a sit down with her since the Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards on May 14.
He wrote, “Dear Friends and family, I need to let you know that Funke and I have separated. While it lasted, we shared a lot of things together and have created two beautiful children
“The last two years have been extremely difficult for us. I know I have tried my best to fix things but I believe it is beyond repair now. months ago and at Funke’s insistence, I moved out of the house and apart from AMVCA have not been able to get Funke to sit down in an amicable manner to discuss the future of our relationship.”
In December 2018, Akindele and JJC welcomed a set of twins birthed in the United States. The children were kept away from the media with only their names revealed until the rapper’s ex-wife, Mello, who is the mother of his first son Benito, shared pictures of the twins on social media.
JJC noted that they were yet to discuss the custody of the children and the next step in their relationship and added that he chose to announce the separation so that the public could know they now lead separate lives.
“I’m making this announcement so that the public is clear that we both are pursuing separate lives. We still have issues that need to be addressed such as the custody and wellbeing of our children which is paramount as well as business interests which need to be disentangled but I have no doubt that these will be resolved one way or the other,” he added.
JJC had been in the news earlier in the year after Mello accused him of physically assaulting their son Benito, to which she presented court documents as proof.
Funke Akindele a.k.a Jenifa was once married to Lagos politician Kehinde Almaroof Oloyede a.k.a Kenny Doo before things turned sour between them and they divorced.
She was also at one time speculated to be having an affair with her colleague Femi Adebayo but the rumours later turned out to be false as both parties made it known that they are just friends who share a good working relationship.
Funke Akindele was previously married to Kehinde Almaroof Oloyede, a Nigerian politician and businessman, but their marriage ended after barely one year together.
The ex-lovers had gotten married on May 26, 2012, when Funke was in her mid-thirties. Their marriage lasted for about a year before they divorced in July 2013, citing irreconcilable differences.
According to information gathered by DNB Stories Africa, Funke learned about the end of her marriage via a phone call while on a movie set. The crashed marriage led to her losing a lot of endorsement deals but the actress made it known that she didn’t allow that to weigh her down.
The actress made it known during a chit-chat with Chude Jideonwo that she had rushed into the marriage with Almaroof due to societal pressure and the desire to get married and have children.
Her divorce from Kehinde Almaroof Oloyede was quite messy as he was alleged to have been married traditionally to another woman before he married Funke. It was also said that he had baby mamas before meeting Funke and was also accused of cheating while with the actress.
One year after her miscarriage, Funke and JJC Skillz welcomed twin boys into the world. Funke gave birth to the boys in Los Angeles, USA, in December 2018.
According to reports, the twins were allegedly born through a surrogate. Funke reportedly opted for surrogacy after her 2017 miscarriage and other failed attempts to fall pregnant via costly IVF treatments.
The Actress Funke Akindele twins name are Zack and Zion.
Aside from her twin boys, Funke is also a stepmother. Her husband JJC Skillz has three children from previous relationships.
Funke Akindele Step-children: Tamira, Benito and Josiah have a close relationship with Funke and the blended family often celebrate important milestones and events together.
Funke Akindele has an estimated Net Worth of over $7.6 million. She is one of the richest and most influential actress in Nigeria.
Her major source of wealth is from her many high-grossing Box office movies, TV series called Jennifer’s Diary, and various multi-million dollar endorsement deals. The actress’ popularity has earned her endorsement deals with big brands like Dettol and Keystone Bank.
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
In April 2020, Akindele was arrested and charged to court after hosting a birthday party in honor 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 14-day community service after confessing guilty to violating the lockdown order.
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