Award-winning Nigerian filmmaker and actress Funke Akindele has offered a deeply emotional insight into her battles with grief, single motherhood, and the pressures of public life, revealing that the weight of her struggles nearly broke her.
In a raw and moving interview on the WithChude podcast, the 47-year-old actress and producer spoke candidly about reaching her breaking point following a series of life-altering events—including the death of her mother in 2022, the end of her marriage, an unsuccessful political bid, and relentless online bullying.
“I broke down, cried, and almost died,” Akindele admitted, describing a period of intense emotional pain. Known for her strength and resilience, she revealed that her refusal to slow down and process her feelings left her emotionally depleted.
“I don’t like to mourn,” she said. “When my mum passed away, I just wanted to get out of it quickly. I told myself, ‘Move on, girl, you are strong.’ But I was only pretending to be strong. It caught up with me.”
Akindele described crying for weeks in solitude, overwhelmed by personal and professional challenges. “I was alone. I didn’t want to eat. It is necessary to process this. It is necessary to cry. It is necessary to break down and come back afresh.”
The final straw came when she faced criticism online over a work-related issue. In a rare move, the usually composed actress went live on social media to defend herself.
“Why are you accusing me of something I didn’t do?” she asked her critics. “Do you know what I’m going through? I lost my mum. My marriage ended. I lost in politics. I have to work. I have children to raise. You are stressing me.”
Despite the pain, Akindele has found strength in vulnerability. In April 2024, she shared how she turned the mockery she faced into fuel for her creativity, channeling it into her art and film production.
