Funke Akindele’s most iconic roles over the years

An award-winning Nigerian film editor once tweeted, “Nollywood is a woman“, and I dare add that “Nollywood is a middle-aged woman.” This is due to the obvious fact that a huge part of its films is centered around female characters. Also, a sizeable number of executives, producers, and directors are women. They set and break box office records, constantly pushing boundaries in the industry. 

Funke Akindele, “Box Office Queen”, the biggest independent producer, is one leading figure. Aside from being a key film executive in Nollywood, the thespian with a career spanning close to 3 decades has been a household name for a long time. With an almost endless filmography, Akindele started her acting career in the 90s family drama, I Need to Know. After that debut, Akindele has been on an upward journey in her filmmaking career. In an expansive effort to capture some of Funke Akindele’s most iconic roles over the years, this listicle is birthed. 

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Taiwo – ‘Taiwo Taiwo’ (2008)

In Taiwo Taiwo, a Yoruba-language film, Funke Akindele alongside Femi Adebayo plays the Bonnie and Clyde role we never thought we needed. In Taiwo Taiwo, released in 2008, she takes on the role of an armed robber, wife, and mother; a mother during the day, an armed robbing crew alongside her husband at night. The chemistry between the two Taiwos is something that makes this one a fave, and seeing them as a couple again after the Yoruba era won’t be so bad I guess. Every ardent Yoruba film lover should have seen Taiwo Taiwo. If you have not, check it out on YouTube.

Jenifa – ‘JENIFA’ (2008)

As an actor, once you are addressed by the name of one of the characters you’ve played then you have peaked (see Aki and Pawpaw, Mama G, Iya Gbonkan, Papa Ajasco). This is the case with Funke Akindele and Jenifa. One cannot speak on Funke Akindele’s journey in Nollywood without a shout out to Jenifa. Jenifa propelled Funke Akindele’s filmmaking career to the next level in mainstream Nollywood and made her a household name.

Funke, who unlocked a new level with her Jenifa, won awards like the Best Actress in a Lead Role at the Africa Movie Academy Awards and the Best Actress at the Nigeria Entertainment Award in 2009. It was such a hit that a sequel, The Return of Jenifa, was made and that also won her the Best Actress at the 2012 Nigeria Entertainment Awards and nabbed her an AMVCA nomination for the best actress in a comedy.

Funke wasn’t done with Jenifa yet. In 2014, Jenifa was back but as a TV series, Jenifa’s Diary, which propelled Funke Akindele to a new career at that time. Jenifa, an uncouth character, who will do anything to feel “among” and her quest to be that city girl was the TV show at that time. It was so big that young people imitated Jenifa’s  English accent, which was a mix of bad English with a Yoruba accent. 

Jenifa’s Diary has won several awards including Best TV Series and Best Actress in a Comedy Series at the 2017 AMVCA amongst other nominations. The character birthed Funke Akindele’s fan base, “Jenifans”, probably the first fanbase in Nollywood with an actual name. With over 20 seasons out and going strong, you cannot talk about Funke Akindele without Jenifa. Episodes of Jenifa’s Diary are currently on YouTube.

Maami- ‘MAAMI’ ( 2011)

In this Tunde Kelani-directed drama, Funke Akindele, at the peak of being a beloved comic actor, embodies the character of Maami, a single mother to her global football star son (played by Wale Ojo). The film details her experience raising her son before her demise.

In Maami (a Yoruba term for ‘my mother’), Funke proved her range as an actress. In the film which is told through a flashback, she takes us on a tearful journey and bares herself as a vulnerable mother to her son and the viewers as well. 

Maami’s character got to me because of this vulnerability, the layers of pain and resilience seen through the drama. Funke Akindele’s role as Maami won awards locally and also got her a nomination for best actress in a drama at the 2013 AMVCA. Funke could take more roles like this one, she was built for this. Maami is showing on YouTube.

Cleo – ‘Pretty Liars’ (2014)

You know the popular TikTok sound “Why are you running,” right? Well, it was culled from this 2014 dramedy, Pretty Liars, starring Funke Akindele, Nse Ikpe-Etim, and Queen Nwokoye, 3  ladies faking it in the big city. They try to “outlie” each other in the fake life business until they realize they’re all birds of a feather and form an alliance to flourish in the fake life hustle while defrauding unsuspecting men. The comedy had Funke shape-shifting from her razz self to a polished babe in seconds because she has to fit. In the school of deception, the Pretty Liars can be recognized as OGs. Pretty Liars is currently on YouTube.

Hauwa- ‘Who’s The Boss’ (2019)

You probably have had that boss who is the villain in your life, that is who Hauwa is in Inkblot’s Who’s the Boss. She won’t let you leave, neither will she let you flourish. Who’s The Boss, Written and directed by Naz Onuzo, had  Funke Akindele as Hauwa, and she does so believably well that if you’re not an ardent fan of the thespian you might dislike her for real. Who’s the Boss was released in late 2019 and its cinematic run was affected by the pandemic that led to a nationwide lockdown, but it got a second chance on Netflix in 2020. 

The story follows Liah (Sharon Ooja), an executive assistant in an advertising firm who tries to be that good subordinate to please her bosses and get the needed promotion, but Hauwa (Funke Akindele), her immediate boss, makes it her duty to block her from all corners. This makes her the villain of the movie and it makes us forget that Funke Akindele is meant to be our favourite comic actor. Who would have thought Funke would make a great villain in a movie? I want to see her in a more in-depth villain role soon. Who’s the Boss is still showing on Netflix.

Lefty- ‘Omo Ghetto: The Saga’ (2020)

In the fictional town of Askamaya, Lefty, played by Funke Akindele and her cohorts Busty, Nikki and Chummy Choko (played by Eniola Badmus, Bimbo Thomas and Chioma Akpotha respectively) are the vigilantes and nuisance in the town. Just like Jenifa, Omo Ghetto: The Saga is a sequel to the 2010 dramedy, Omo Ghetto. In this sequel, just like the original Omo Ghetto, Funke revisits the goody two shoes and black sheep twin trope that Nollywood explored for a while in the 2010s as she plays both Ayomide (the twin with a stable life) and Lefty ( the black sheep of the family and thug), but Lefty is our star.

 The role of Lefty might seem familiar with the razzness and crudity of the character with other roles Funke has played but it’s a whole new level with Lefty, with the way Funke plays this female street gangster and the stunts that came with the character. Omo Ghetto co-directed by Funke Akindele and JJC-Skillz, explores comedy, action and some tragic drama in a way you would not have thought possible. In all of this, Lefty is at the center of it all. Something about how Lefty is able to reconcile being a thug and still show her emotional side was quite raw and real.

Omo Ghetto: The Saga was released when the world was just recovering from the pandemic and lockdown. Its release would push people to return to cinemas. The love for the return of Lefty propelled it to become a box office hit, as it went ahead to break the previous record set by The Wedding Party. Almost a year later when it landed on Netflix, it dominated the streamer’s top ten chart across several months. Funke Akindele also won the award for the best actress in a comedy at the 8th AMVCA  for her role in the film. Omo Ghetto: The Saga is still on Netflix.

Other notable films featuring Funke Akindele include Moms at War, Egun, and Aye Olomo Kan.

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