‘I’m not competing’, Funke Akindele speaks on growth in Nollywood

Nollywood actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has spoken about her growth in the industry, revealing that she is not in competition with anyone.

While speaking at an event hosted by the National Film and Video Censors Board, Akindele explained that her goal is to tell authentic African stories.

“I’m not competing. It’s not a competition. I just want to tell African stories, you know, our own Nigerian stories. I want us to feel accepted, loved. I want them to watch our movies, learn, see what we go through, you know, hear our stories directly from a Nigerian, an African. That’s all I want to do. So this year, you will love it. But let’s keep our fingers crossed. I’m not going to spill it. I don’t want to spill it yet. Let’s keep our fingers crossed, but you will love it. You will love it. I don’t pressure myself, I must say. No, I don’t put pressure on myself. I just keep taking it day at a time, doing my thing,” she said.

Akindele also revealed that she is on a journey of learning, noting the importance of constructive criticism from competitors and mentors.

“Yes, it says a lot about recreating the story pattern, moving away from the normal thing you do. I listen to constructive criticisms; I really listen to them. I’m a good storyteller, and I want to be the best at it. I learn a lot from my competitors, from mentors out there. I watch a lot of movies, I read books, and I listen to stories to grow my craft. It’s very important, so I must say it took me a lot of hard work on Behind the Scenes. I just sat down, like I was supposed to produce A Tribe Called Judah part two, and the spirit of God kept saying you have to move out of it… go and do something different, and here I am with it, so it’s a good one for me,” she added.