Nollywood actress and box office queen, Funke Akindele, has disclosed that she would make a return to politics after her first foray in 2023, which resulted in a defeat.
Recall that Funke was the deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State during the election, which was won by the incumbent party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, the actress said she remains undeterred by her defeat in the 2023 governorship election and would be making a return to politics.
“I am glad I went into politics. And ask me, am I going to do it again? Oh, yes. Oh, I love it.”
Funke Akindele
On why she went into politics initially, Funke Akindele explained that she was driven into the political arena by her desire to give back.
“I need to support, I need to give back, that is why I went into politics,” Funke said as she went on to talk about her experience in the political arena and how she managed to navigate its challenging terrain.
“Getting into it, seeing the violence, seeing the shouting. Then I started watching female politicians, you know, the way they speak. The way they speak. and the way they command respect, authority. And I’m like, hey, you are not alone. You can do it. And I stood, I spoke. I learned that from there, you have to be bold. You have to be courageous. You have to be strong. What will be will be. Fear will only put you in a place.”
“So, all this I learned from doing politics. And I got to know a lot of numbers. I got educated more, acquired more knowledge. You know, I’m reading more now, knowing more about my country, knowing more about my state. When I want to speak, I’ll speak with the statistics, you understand, with the data.”
Funke Akindele
The actress had in the aftermath of her election defeat, deleted all posts relating to politics from her verified Instagram page, giving the public the impression that she is taking a break from the political arena.
Additionally, she’s been rather quiet on politics since 2023 until her latest comments.
Funke Akindele Sought Therapy After Online Mockery
The award-winning Nollywood actress and filmmaker opened up about a deeply emotional experience that pushed her to seek therapy for the first time in her life.
The ‘Battle on Buka Street’ star recounted how being mocked for not having a husband during her political campaign broke her emotionally.
It would be recalled that Funke Akindele ran for the position of Deputy Governor of Lagos State in the 2023 general elections under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Although her political ambition made headlines, it also exposed her to harsh criticism from certain quarters.
“There was one video I watched where women were mocking me for not having a husband, and I want to do politics. I broke down and cried. I told myself I needed to speak to a therapist, and I felt better.”
Funke Akindele
Akindele noted that while she had always believed in the value of therapy, she had long resisted it due to fears of public scrutiny.
“Right from the start, I’ve always known that therapy was important, but never submitted to it because I didn’t want them to carry my gist. I kept acting strong while they were throwing everything at me. Every time I showed strength, they threw more at me — at home, from family, at work, in society. You’re the role model for a lot of people out there.
“I’m a very strong person. I have that strength, my God. I would hold my face firm, oh yes. I saw all the insults on social media and all the posts, but I tried to stay tough. But I reached a point in my life where I almost lost it mentally.”
Funke Akindele
The actress, whose works have consistently broken box office records in Nigeria, encouraged others going through emotional distress to not suffer in silence. “I want to advise you out there: that it is very important to speak up. Yes,” she said.
