More than a year after her first foray into politics ended in electoral defeat, Nollywood actress and filmmaker, Funke Akindele, has declared her intention to return to active politics.
Ms Akindele, who was the running mate to Abdulazeez Adediran (Jandor), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 2023 Lagos State governorship election, made the revelation during the inaugural live edition of the WithChude podcast.
“I need to support. I need to give back. That’s why I went into politics,” she said.
The 2023 election saw the PDP ticket lose to incumbent Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Following the outcome, Ms Akindele withdrew from political commentary and deleted campaign content from her social media platforms, leading to speculation about her political future.
However, the actress has now put those speculations to rest, affirming that she intends to contest again.
“Ask me if I’m going to do it again? Oh yes,” she said confidently.
Reflecting on her political experience, Ms Akindele said it taught her courage and deepened her understanding of public service and governance.
“Fear will only put you in a place. So, all this I learnt from doing politics, and I got to know a lot of numbers. I got educated more and acquired more knowledge,” she said. “When I want to speak, I speak with statistics and data.”
She also credited her inspiration to women in Nigerian politics, such as Abike Dabiri, noting how observing their leadership style renewed her belief in her own political capabilities.
“I started watching female politicians… the way they speak and command respect. I’m like, ‘You too, go. You can do it,’” she said.
Ms Akindele, who rose to fame with her role in the widely popular television series Jenifa’s Diary, is one of Nigeria’s most influential entertainers. Her entry into politics in 2022 was considered a bold move, one that many believe could spur increased youth and female participation in governance.