Funke Akindele has emphasized that her role in the NTA family drama series “I Need To Know” during her teenage years served as a significant launching pad for her career.
Speaking in an interview, Akindele shared insights into her early days on the set, expressing her proactive approach to learning various aspects of filmmaking.
She explained, “I started with I Need to Know, and while on the set, I was understudying every department. I’m self-taught. I was there as an actress, and I was checking out everything, and I was always asking the director then.” She highlighted the importance of her curiosity and continuous learning in shaping her career.
“A Tribe Called Judah” narrates the tale of five brothers who must unite to rob a company and save their mother, portrayed by Akindele as Jedidah Judah. The film achieved remarkable success, breaking records just three weeks after its release, making it the highest-grossing Nigerian film at that time.
Akindele expressed her belief in the significance of telling African stories and embracing the richness of the continent’s culture.
She urged filmmakers to focus on originality and global appeal while staying true to African narratives. In her view, leveraging the unique aspects of African culture can captivate audiences globally, similar to how Bollywood and Indian cinema succeed by embracing their own stories and languages.
Akindele emphasized the importance of showcasing African excellence without conforming to Western standards, stating, “We are Africans, and we have got what it takes to be Western, but we are not.”
