Funke Akindele

Akindele Olufunke Ayotunde (popularly known as Funke Akindele, born August 24, 1976 in Ikorodu, Lagos State, Nigeria) is a Nigerian actress. She came to limelight after featuring in popular United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) sponsored sitcom; I Need to Know, which ran from 1998 to 2002. In 2009 she won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Funke Akindele also plays the lead character in the hit TV show Jenifa's Diary, alongside Fisayo Ajisola, Falz, Lolo and more. The show is a spin-off from the movie titled Jenifa.

Akindele was born on August 24, 1976 in Ikorodu, Lagos State, Nigeria. She is the second of three children (two girls and one boy). Her mother is a medical doctor while her father is a retired school principal.

She obtained an Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Mass Communication from the former Ogun State Polytechnic, now Moshood Abiola Polytechnic and got a Law degree from the University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba.

Funke came to limelight after featuring in popular United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) sponsored sitcom; I Need to Know, which ran from 1998 to 2002. She played Bisi, a curious but highly intelligent secondary school student. Funke Akindele's big break came in 2009 from the movie titled Jenifa. Funke Akindele has over a 100 movies to her credit as actress, writer and producer.

She runs a non-governmental organisation known as THE JENIFA FOUNDATION, whose aims and objectives involves nurturing talents and acquiring vocational skills.

Funke Akindele has a lot of endorsement deals to her name, the most recently is her being signed as Ambassador to Irokotv.

On May 26, 2012 Funke got married to Adeola Kehinde Oloyede. A year later in July 2013, she got divorced citing irreconcilable difference for her separation from Oloyede (now ex-husband). Funke married Nigerian rapper Abdul Rasheed Bello known as JJC Skillz in London in May 2016.