Filmmaker Funke Akindele has revealed reasons she will re-contest for political office.
The PDP governorship candidate in Lagos, Olajide Adediran, aka Jandor, picked Ms Akindele as his running mate in the 2023 general election.
During an interview on Arise TV’s Perspectives show, shared on YouTube Saturday, the mother-of-two spoke about political career.
The 46-year-old said: “So getting into political was a big one for me. I enjoyed it, and I will do it again. I run a studio which I’ve been running since 2000. I’ve been producing and working with many people, from crew members to cast. I have a Jenifa Foundation where we help nurture talent, and I bring on board many young talents. We train them in filmmaking; they’re always on set, whether in the hair department, makeup, lights, or camera. It’s something I love doing—empowering young people and nurturing talent. Some say Auntie is so strict, but she draws you closer when she’s strict, next to me. I love to uplift people; I can do it even better if I get into a larger space.
“For me, to have been doing it for years, let me try something big. Many young people complain, ‘We don’t have this’ or ‘This is going wrong.’ Let me come in to represent the youth. That is why I wanted to do it. And that’s why I got into politics. Yes, I enjoyed every part of it. It was quite challenging, but I enjoyed every part of it. I felt so good representing the young people. It was challenging.”
She stated that changing Nigeria couldn’t be achieved in a day or four years, but political officeholders could plan startup initiatives.
Ms Akindele recounted how she was accused of running for deputy governor because of popularity, money, and other personal gains.
She stated that during her campaign, she learned that people were going through a lot, hence the need to stand up for them.
“I love that private sectors are coming in, supporting the government. That is why we should focus more on supporting the government. Criticism is good, but how can you also support it? As a youth, how can you help yourself? What is that special gift in you that you have? You need to stand up and do something for yourself. So, getting into politics was a big one for me,” she said.
Reflecting on her challenges during the campaign, she said, “You had to hit the road, keep talking to people, and keep persuading them that you could do it. You had to delve into their issues and uncover the real problems people were facing—not just surface ones. That’s when you realise people are enduring a lot in the country. You had to jot it all down and brainstorm how to offer solutions. It wasn’t something that happened overnight. You couldn’t just come in and declare, ‘I’m this, I’m that.’
Credit: Premium Times
Leave a Reply