How D’banj contributed to my rise to stardom – Funke Akindele

During her speech at the 2025 Media Sales Conference of the Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN) in Lagos, Funke revealed previously unknown facets of her career.

She emphasized that her achievements in the film industry stem from her hard work and dedication but also highlighted D’banj’s instrumental advice.

“I believe that nobody made me a star; only God did. I wrote my script, and that was it. The first ‘Jenifa’ was released in 2009, which marked my turning point,” she explained.

She further detailed how, amidst the rising buzz around her work, a club owner invited her to perform at his venue, where she met D’banj. During their encounter, he inquired about her plans for the ‘Jenifa’ brand.

She replied, “I have moved on. I will do something else.” D’banj urged her, “No, you have to milk it. It’s a brand. Go and write another script.” He even provided her with some money to support her writing.

Taking D’banj’s advice to heart, Funke continued writing and has since produced several instalments in the Jenifa franchise, with the latest release, Everybody Loves Jenifa, breaking records on December 13, 2024.

The franchise began with the original film released in 2008, titled The Return of Jenifa, which was followed by a television series, Jenifa’s Diary, launched in 2015. Two sequels, Aiyetoro Town (2019) and Jenifa on Lockdown (2021), followed the original series.

Since the inception of the Jenifa franchise, Funke Akindele has continued to thrive and has become known as the Queen of the Nigerian box office. She now holds the record for being the highest-grossing producer in Nigerian cinema.