Why Holy Spirit told me not to film A Tribe Called Judah — Funke Akindele

Award-winning Nigerian filmmaker, Funke Akindele, has disclosed that her upcoming movie, Behind The Scenes, was birthed through divine instruction that completely altered her initial production plans.

Speaking at the FilmOne End-of-Year Exhibitor Showcase, the producer and actress revealed that she had originally planned to begin work on the sequel to her blockbuster movie A Tribe Called Judah and had even commenced rehearsals and negotiations before being spiritually directed to make a different film.

According to Akindele, despite drafting and attempting four other scripts as well as considering several collaborations, she continued to receive divine warnings to abandon those projects.

“We weren’t supposed to release Behind The Scenes. I actually wanted to release A Tribe Called Judah 2. We had started rehearsals and negotiations, but the Spirit of God kept telling me, ‘No, you will not shoot that film,’” Akindele said.

“We tried almost four other scripts, lovely ones, but the Spirit of God said, ‘You are joking’. We even wanted to partner with another filmmaker, but He said, ‘You’re wasting your time. You will shoot this film.’”

The idea for Behind The Scenes, she explained, came from a single scene that resonated deeply with her, one she described as “relatable and reflective of real-life experiences”.

“A lot of people are going through what happens in this movie. The inspiration just came, and I knew this was the story I was meant to tell,” she added.

Behind The Scenes features an impressive cast lineup, including Tobi Bakare, Veeiye, Uzor Arukwe, Ini Dima-Okojie, and Ibrahim Chatta.

The film is slated to hit cinemas nationwide on December 12, 2025.