Funke Akindele Reveals How D’banj Encouraged Her To Start Jenifa Brand

Nigerian actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele revealed a surprising detail about her career at a recent celebration for musician D’banj.

Akindele credits D’banj with financially supporting the relaunch of her hit movie franchise “Jenifa,” which propelled her to stardom.

Speaking at D’banj’s 20th anniversary in music, Akindele recounted how she met D’banj after the initial success of “Jenifa.” Impressed by her work, D’banj urged her to revive the franchise, believing it held immense potential. Akindele,hesitant at the time, was convinced by D’banj’s encouragement and financial backing.

“He gave me some money and said, ‘Go and write another Jenifa, I support you with this money,’” Akindele recalled.”That was how he filmed ‘The Return Of Jenifa.’”

The relaunch proved to be a turning point, solidifying the “Jenifa” brand and establishing Akindele as a major force in Nollywood. The franchise’s enduring popularity is evident as Akindele announced a new installment, “Everybody Loves Jenifa,” slated for release this Christmas.