Why ‘Everybody Loves Jenifa’ remains my most expensive film ever – Funke Akindele

Nollywood actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has described ‘Everybody Loves Jenifa’ as the most expensive film she has produced.

Ms Akindele disclosed this in an interview with CNN Africa journalist Larry Madowo, where she discussed her filmmaking career, the commercial success of her productions and the personal experiences that have shaped her outlook on life.

The 49-year-old actress, who contested as the deputy governorship candidate for Lagos State in the 2023 general elections, said that filming in Ghana, transporting cast and crew across borders, and delivering sets in Nigeria significantly increased production costs.

The actress said the production involved flying the entire cast and crew to Ghana, where some scenes were shot at Safari Valley Resort, a luxury hospitality destination.

“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.

Beyond the international filming arrangements, Ms Akindele explained that she prefers constructing her own sets rather than relying on people’s homes or existing locations for her productions.

“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 said.

Despite the substantial expenditure, the filmmaker said the production recovered its investment, recording successful performances in cinemas and on streaming platforms. She did not, however, disclose the film’s production budget or the precise returns from its digital distribution.

Released in Nigerian cinemas on 13 December 2024, ‘Everybody Loves Jenifa’ became one of the biggest commercial successes in Nollywood history. The film grossed more than ₦1.4 billion within weeks of its release, breaking box-office records before eventually earning approximately ₦1.88 billion at the box office.

Directed by Ms Akindele and Tunde Olaoye, the film features an ensemble cast including Nancy Isime, Stan Nze, Falz, Lateef Adedimeji, Layi Wasabi, Jackie Appiah, Omowunmi Dada, and Patience Ozokwor.

Set partly in Ghana, the comedy-drama follows Jenifa as she confronts competition from a new neighbour whose activities threaten to overshadow her charitable work. The story takes a dramatic turn when Jenifa and her friends encounter a dangerous drug operation during their stay in Ghana.

Reflecting on the origins of her famous character, Ms Akindele said Jenifa was conceived as a fictional village girl determined to achieve success in the city, even when her limited education and unusual command of English exposed her to ridicule.

She explained that the character was deliberately created to reflect the aspirations, struggles and social realities of young people.

“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.

Ms Akindele added that her intention was not merely to entertain audiences but also to use storytelling to address social issues and encourage young people to believe in themselves.

“I see storytelling as a tool to show people what is happening in society, address ills and reach out to young people, to help them believe in themselves, because I am very passionate about young people,” she said.

Jenifa first appeared in the 2008 Yoruba comedy-drama film of the same title, which introduced audiences to Suliat, a village girl whose determination to succeed in Lagos often led to humorous situations.

The character’s exaggerated accent, unconventional mannerisms, social ambition, and struggles to adapt to city life quickly resonated with Nigerian audiences.

The film earned Ms Akindele the Best Actress in a Leading Role award at the 2009 Africa Movie Academy Awards, helping establish her as one of Nollywood’s recognisable comic actresses.

She subsequently expanded the story with ‘The Return of Jenifa’, released in 2011, before developing the television series ‘Jenifa’s Diary’, which premiered in 2015.

The television production further strengthened the character’s popularity and turned Jenifa into one of the most recognisable fictional personalities in Nigerian entertainment.

Beyond her professional achievements, Ms Akindele also reflected on the emotional difficulties of dealing with personal setbacks, particularly the public attention surrounding the breakdown of her marriages.

The actress has had two publicly reported marriages. She married businessman Kehinde Oloyede in May 2012. However, the relationship ended after about a year, with her publicist announcing their separation in July 2013.

In May 2016, she married Nigerian rapper and filmmaker Abdulrasheed Bello, popularly known as JJC Skillz. The couple welcomed twin boys in December 2018.

Their relationship, which attracted considerable public attention, eventually ended after six years. In June 2022, JJC Skillz announced their separation in a social media statement, saying the marriage had experienced difficulties for about two years and that efforts to resolve their differences had failed.

The announcement generated widespread reactions, with speculations about the couple’s domestic disagreements dominating entertainment discussions at the time.

In the CNN interview, Ms Akindele acknowledged the burden of having personal relationship difficulties play out publicly, particularly when the breakdown of a marriage becomes a subject of online commentary.

She said she sometimes withdraws to cry and process difficult experiences before gathering herself 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.

Reflecting on the public scrutiny surrounding her marriages, she said there were moments when she worried about being judged for what people considered repeated mistakes.

“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 said.

Ms Akindele also spoke about how her priorities have changed over the years, particularly her understanding of the need to balance professional commitments with personal happiness.

According to her, she spent much of her early years focusing on work, often putting her career ahead of her personal needs.

She said experience had taught her that professional achievements, although important, should not come at the expense of personal wellbeing.

“Now I am more intentional about myself, making myself happy. I have noticed that over the years, it was not about myself. You need to take care of yourself,” she said.

The actress added that she had come to appreciate that careers and professional accomplishments could change, while other aspects of life required consistent attention.

“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.