Funke Akindele opens up on N1.88bn blockbuster’s production costs

Nollywood filmmaker Funke Akindele has revealed that her blockbuster, Everybody Loves Jenifa, was the most expensive film she has produced, citing the high cost of filming in Ghana and Nigeria and transporting cast and crew between the two countries.

The 49-year-old actress disclosed this during an interview with CNN Africa journalist, Larry Madowo, where she discussed her filmmaking career, the success of the Jenifa franchise and personal experiences.

Akindele said shooting at the Safari Valley Resort in Ghana and moving her production team across borders significantly increased the film’s production expenses.

“Everybody Loves Jenifa is a very expensive film because we went to Ghana. We filmed in Ghana and Nigeria. We flew all the cast and crew to Ghana. We filmed in Safari Valley Resort. That is a very expensive place to film,” she said.

The filmmaker also explained that she prefers building sets specifically for her productions rather than shooting in people’s homes or relying on existing locations.

“I build my set by myself. I don’t go to people’s houses to shoot. I create my set myself. I would rent out a place, or buy a place and start constructing my set there,” she added.

Despite the high production costs, Everybody Loves Jenifa recorded significant commercial success, grossing approximately N1.88bn at the Nigerian box office after its release on December 13, 2024.

Directed by Akindele and Tunde Olaoye, the comedy-drama featured actors including Nancy Isime, Stan Nze, Falz, Lateef Adedimeji, Layi Wasabi, Jackie Appiah, Omowunmi Dada and Patience Ozokwor.

The film follows Jenifa as she faces competition from a new neighbour while pursuing her charitable activities. The story takes a dramatic turn when she and her friends encounter a dangerous drug operation during a visit to Ghana.

Fame doesn’t show my pain’ – Funke Akindele

Reflecting on the creation of the popular character, Akindele said she conceived Jenifa as a village girl determined to succeed in the city despite her limited education and unconventional command of English.

“I sat down and said to myself, let me create a character from the village that is a ‘wannabe’. She wants to be successful. She does not care if her accent is crazy. She wants to speak English,” she said.

She described storytelling as a tool for entertaining audiences, addressing social challenges and inspiring young people to pursue their ambitions.

Beyond filmmaking, Akindele also spoke about the emotional challenges of dealing with personal setbacks under public scrutiny, particularly her divorce.

The actress was first married to businessman Kehinde Oloyede in 2012, but the marriage ended in 2013. She later married rapper and filmmaker Abdulrasheed Bello, popularly known as JJC Skillz, in 2016. They have twin boys together, but separated in 2022.

Speaking about the pressure of having her private life discussed publicly, Akindele said she sometimes withdrew to cry before gathering the strength to continue with her responsibilities.

“When I cry, I lock myself in the room, break down and cry. When I am done crying, I shake myself, wipe off my tears and come back to life,” she said.

She acknowledged that public criticism sometimes made her worry about being judged for her personal decisions.

“Sometimes I tell myself, you’ve made a mistake again. People are going to judge you. And really, do you care about that? Brace up, do what is right, consider yourself, your mental health, and move on,” she added.

Akindele said her priorities had changed over the years, explaining that she now places greater importance on personal happiness and self-care rather than allowing work to dominate her life.

“In the past, it used to be about work, work. But I have come to realise that work will come and go, but some things stay when the work is gone, and that is factual,” she said.