Entertainment
12 Things You Should Know About Nollywood Actress, Funke Akindele-Bello
By Opeyemi Omotosho
Not many of her fans are aware of some things about one of the most talented and award winning Nollywood actresses that have graced the screen of most homes. She is an accomplished producer and scriptwriter. She is Funke Akindele-Bello, and has been in the forefront of bringing foremost entertainment to teeming Nollywood fans across the globe. Here are some of the things you may not have known about the one popularly known as Jenifa.
- Her first movie was Unclad Wire (1997), and was produced by Opa Williams. Therein, she played the part of a waitress.
- Funke played the part of Bisi, a curious but highly intelligent secondary school student, in the popular United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) sponsored sitcom, I Need To Know. She eventually hit limelight from the series. The sitcom ran for four years (1998 to 2001).
- She holds a degree in Mass Communication from the former Ogun State Polytechnic, now Moshood Abiola Polytechnic. She is also a Lawyer by profession and practice. She obtained her LLB degree from the University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba.
- Funke’s popularity soared after the release of her self-produced movie, Jenifa in 2009. It was under her Scene One Productions company.
- Funke runs a non-governmental organisation known as The Jenifa Foundation, which nurtures talent among other things.
- Funke was married to Kenny Almaroof Oloyede between May 2012 and July 2013. Their courtship, marriage and subsequent divorce were filled with controversy. In August 2016, she remarried to Abdul Bello alias JJC in a private ceremony in London.
- Since the first Jenifa movie, the actress has produced two others: Jenifa 2 and The Return of Jenifa. In January 2015, the actress announced a TV series called Jenifa’s Diary based on the popular character.
- Funke has starred in several other Nollywood blockbusters including the Tunde Kelani directed Maami; Omo Ghetto and Married But Living Single.
- Funke’s mum is a medical doctor while her father is a retired school principal.
- Funke has two sisters and one bother. She is the second child.
- Funke has won many awards for acting and producing. In 2009, she won the African Movie Academy Award (AMAA) for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Other awards include: AfroHollywood Awards for Best Supporting Actress; Future Awards – Best Actress; Dynamix Awards – Best Actress; City People – Best Actress; City People – Best Movie of the Year for Jenifa, among others.
- She was once pregnant for twins but lost the pregnancy to miscarriage after a few months. The lost became obvious when her baby bump was no longer noticed.
Entertainment
Okoroji Promises Unforgettable COSON Week
Former President of PMAN and now, Chairman of COSON, Chief Tony Okoroji, has declared that the COSON Week scheduled to take place between May 25 and May 31, 2025 will be truly unforgettable.
Chief Okoroji made the declaration in his address to the just concluded Annual General Meeting of Nigeria’s No 1 copyright collective management organization, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), at which the 2024 royalty distribution of a whopping =N=465.5 million was approved.
These are the very words of the well-known master planner and producer of remarkable events: “one of the many important decisions taken by the COSON Board at its meeting of November 6 was the approval for the hosting of a master-blaster edition of the iconic “COSON WEEK” in May 2025.
The Board also directed that every step should be taken immediately to begin the mobilization of all “mobilizables” to ensure that COSON WEEK 2025 is, in every way, unforgettable”.
Continuing, Chief Tony Okoroji, the creator of the famous Nigerian Music Awards that played host to Presidents, Governors, Ministers, Ambassadors and stars from around the world, said, “COSON Week is the flagship week of our great society, during which we roll out wall-to-wall high-profile events to entertain, to inform, to communicate, to educate and to project an unassailable brand.
COSON week 2025 will bring joy to many. We will deploy the events of COSON Week 2025 to tell Nigerians that despite the difficulties we face, all is not lost. We will use COSON Week 2025 to propagate the importance of creativity and entertainment to the economic and socio-political well-being of Nigeria”.
Chief Okoroji went on to say: “We are now at the planning stage of COSON Week 2025. We intend to mobilize all “mobilizables” as ordered by the Board. As we enter the new year, we will begin to unfold the different events, the venues and their specific attractions. One thing I can assure you is that COSON Week 2025 will be truly unforgettable. Please, fasten your seat belts!”.
Entertainment
Pop Singer Davido Congratulates Ghana’s President-elect, Mahama
Famous musician, Davido, has congratulated John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), on winning the December 7 elections.
In a post shared with his millions of followers on X, Davido, whose real name is David Adedeji Adeleke, celebrated the news with a simple yet joyful post.
Mahama, who was president of Ghana between July 2012 and January 2017 has also been congratulated by his main opposition Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia
In a concession speech delivered on Sunday, Mr Bawumia, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, stated that internal data from his party indicates that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has secured victory in both the presidential and parliamentary polls.
“Let me say that the data from our own internal collation of the election results indicate that former President John Dramani Mahama has won the presidential election decisively,” Bawumia said.
Entertainment
Jay-Z Tops Forbes’ Greatest Rappers of All Time List
Forbes has named American rapper, Sean Carter aka Jay-Z, as the greatest rapper of all time.
The publication recently released its 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time list, celebrating the best in the hip-hop world.
Jay-Z topped the list, followed by Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, J. Cole, and Tupac at numbers 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively.
Drake, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Nas, and Eminem complete the top 10.
Also on the list are Andre 300 (11), The Notorious B.I.G (12), Missy Elliott (13), Chuck D (14), A$AP Rocky (15), Lil’ Kim (16), Tyler, the Creator (17), Snoop Dogg (18), Ghostface Killah (19) and Common (20).
Popular names in hip-hop like 50 Cent, Ice Cube, Juice WRLD, Lauryn Hill, Dr. Dre, Queen Latifah, Busta Rhymes, Future, Childish Gambino, Bad Bunny, Pusha T, Cardi B and Young Thug, rank at number 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34, 40, 46, 48 and 49, respectively.
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