‘I never intended to star as Jenifa’ –Funke Akindele

Most people would not know you were the lead cast of the popular sex education TV series ‘ I need to know’. Are there times you look back and think about the journey so far? How was the experience on the set of ‘I need to know’? Like you know “I need to know” launched […]

Most people would not know you were the lead cast of the popular sex education TV series ‘ I need to know’. Are there times you look back and think about the journey so far? How was the experience on the set of ‘I need to know’?

Like you know “I need to know” launched me to limelight. It was a new ground for me and I felt so privileged working under the auspices of Uncle Lloyd Weaver an American.  Playing the role of “Bisi” an inquisitive 17-year-old when I was actually in my 20s was quite challenging, but he brought out the best in me. My first experience for the camera was on Opa Williams set, ‘Naked Wire’. I featured in a film. I attended the audition and Opa Williams is such a gentle man. I heard about the audition then, I was given a role. After then, I was on I.T at APCON I just told my boss, ‘oga I want to go for this audition’. He was like, ‘go, go, go’. I was past teenage years. I went, and I got a role.

How did you manage it? In the series you seemed to have played down your real age as the character in the series was quite younger than you were….

At first I found it a bit difficult. My director was always complaining on set. You’re not talking like a teenager. You need to talk like a teenager. I got home a bit sad. And my younger sister asked ‘why are you worried?’ ‘They’re going to take the role from me o’, I would answer. Then she would take a look at my script. ‘What are you supposed to say?’ ‘No mummy, yes mummy’. Just say it like that, and I went back and I did it like that, and I got the role. So she taught me how to play like a teenager.

The series sort of faded off the air, how long did it last?

It lasted for five years, but along the line I was no longer with the series because new faces were brought in and I moved on with life.

After the series, what did you move on to?

After the series I went on trying to get roles in other movie projects, which were very trying periods of my life, it was very tough. So, along the line I met Kunle Coker. He helped me to get roles. He was supportive, but it was difficult to get roles on television. You’ll talk, talk, read, read, but they wouldn’t give you the role. I decided to go straight to Nollywood when I didn’t get the big break in TV series anymore. I had to tell you that, because most times you journalists ask why I didn’t continue with series. But all that starts well ends well they say. It did for me at least.

How long have you been in the movie industry?

My first camera appearance was in 1996 in a movie produced by Opa Williams titled ‘Naked wire’. To the glory of God I’ve been in the movie industry for 15 years now.

What were your parents’ take when you decided to go into movies, considering the fact that your mum was a gynecologist and your dad an educationist. Was there any challenges from them?

My parents were very supportive of my decisions and I would say my mum was a major sponsor in my investment in the entertainment industry. She believed in me so much, but my dad would always tell me to go back to school and study law, because he wanted me to become a lawyer. Though I ended up studying law in the university, they both still supported me in everything I did as long as it was for my own good.

So do we see you going into law practice very soon?

I don’t think so. I am comfortable with what I am doing now, but it is good that I practised law, because it helps me to shape some of the scripts I write. So, one way or the other I am practising law in a way.

You are also a producer; where did you get the experience from?

I believe I could produce movies and so I started it. I watched how they did it. I’ve been on different production sets and watched how they do it. They call people from different departments, different professionals. Finally I wrote my script, I invited the director of photography and the director. How are we going to do this, call this make-up artist, call this wardrobe person. And I gathered them together and we did the movie where I started my first major role. My first lead role was in ‘Ojo Ketala’. Coincidentally, that was my first experience as a producer.

So tell us what inspired the Jenifa Movie?

My younger sister a graduate of Unilag told me about an incident that occurred in the school while she was an undergraduate. Some roommates of hers were invited to a party by another supposed big girl in the school. One of the invitees overheard her conversation on the phone telling the person on the other line that “whatever happens to the girls isn’t her business provided her balance was ready”. It was through that conversation that the girls knew they were about falling prey to ritualists. So, it gave me an inspiration to impact on the youths with a solid message. A lot of girls out there do things they really shouldn’t. Some are ‘aristos’ and stand the chance of losing their lives through dangerous ways – including contacting the HIV. And other things that should be set straight, I wrote the movie myself. I decided to take a comic route in the movie, because I felt I should talk about sustaining good morals but in a way one would laugh but still walk home with a message. ‘Jenifa’ isn’t boring, so you will watch and equally get the moral of the story at the end. I want to use ‘Jenifa’ to change people’s lives” she explains. “Whenever Jenifa says “excuse me” the youth will listen, I see ‘Jenifa’ later working in a crèche or as a nanny. A TV series on ‘Jenifa’ is not out of the picture.

Why did you play the role yourself?

I never intended to play the role myself, but when I couldn’t find someone to fit, I had no choice than to take up the role myself. Ronke Oshodi almost fit the role, but she was too big in stature for ‘Jenifa’s’ character. I wanted ‘Jenifa’ to be smaller. I had to play the part when I couldn’t get anyone to fill up the role.

What was your expectation of ‘Jenifa’?

Sincerely my expectation is to achieve a positive behavioral pattern among the youths. As a youth ambassador, my target is to create a platform to empower the youths and that is the main objective of The JENIFA Foundation. I thank God it was an instant hit. I never expected it would get this much attention.

Tell us about the Jenifa Foundation.

I had an experience before ‘Jenifa’. I met this young girl. I think she’s living in Ijora.  A very pretty girl I must say. She speaks good English. She went to a public school. She knows how to braid hair. And she’s trying to get back to school. I met her. She’s so close to me. And I would give her money. ‘Are you okay?’, ‘how are you?’ So I met this young girl, and I think she’s got a good heart. I can do something for the young people. Why can’t I reach out to them through my movie and my N.G.O, The Jenifa Foundation? That’s how we started. We’re partnering with the Lagos State Empowerment And Resource Network (L.E.A.R.N) initiated by the Lagos state first lady Dame. Abimbola Fashola, and some professionals in hair dressing, bead making, make up and performing arts like drama through seminars and training sessions. Talking about drama I have a registered school of drama called the Scene One of Drama. We run a six-month training programme in Music, Drama, Traditional & Contemporary Dance and Etiquette& Manners. We have certified lecturers who are graduates in their fields. The school started March 2011 and the first set will be graduating by December 2011, the new set will be inducted in January 2012 by God’s grace

But what next after the ‘Return of Jenifa’

We are resting.

After the rest, what happens?

(Laughing) Ah ema gbami lowo Weekly Trust o! Wetin happen now I say we are resting. Keep your fingers crossed.  The energy that we put into the ‘Return of Jenifa’, oh my God, it was crazy, it was challenging, it was tasking. Getting all the cast together. To even get the content, it was a big job. Don’t forget the expectation was also high.

Would it be right to say ‘Jenifa’ and Funke Akindele are the same people?

No, no, now. They can never be the same people. The only thing they share together is that both ‘Jenifa’ and Funke Akindele are nice individuals. Also, both of them don’t care about their dressing. I am not a designer’s freak, because my colleagues are putting on Christian Louboutin shoes doesn’t mean I also have to do the same thing. I am just me. I don’t have to, but Jenifa would go all out to feel among, but for me I love being simple and being myself.