Funke Akindele

Funke Akindele, widely recognized as Jenifa, is a prominent Nigerian filmmaker, actress, director, producer, politician, and realtor. Born on August 24, 1977, she gained initial fame through her role in the sitcom I Need to Know, which aired from 1998 to 2002. Her breakthrough came in 2009 when she won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in the film Jenifa.

Akindele continued to captivate audiences by reprising her iconic role in the 2011 sequel, The Return of Jenifa, and later in the 2015 television series Jenifa's Diary. Her exceptional talent earned her the title of Best Actress in a Comedy at the Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards in 2016 and 2017, and she further solidified her status by winning the same award in 2020 and 2022, totaling five wins in this category.

As a trailblazer in the Nigerian film industry, Akindele holds the record for the most nominations and wins for an actress at the AMVCA, with six awards to her name. She is also recognized as the second director to gross over one billion naira at the box office, achieving a remarkable total gross exceeding four point seven billion naira.

In addition to her cinematic achievements, Akindele ventured into politics when she was nominated as the running mate for the People's Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate, Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran, in the 2023 Lagos State gubernatorial election. Her influence extends beyond entertainment, as she was appointed the National Goodwill Ambassador for Nigeria by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) during the World AIDS Day commemoration in December 2024, focusing on promoting HIV prevention and awareness across the nation.