Nollywood actor Jide Awobona has expressed heartfelt gratitude to his senior colleague, Funke Akindele, for her pivotal role in shaping his career.
Ahead of the theatrical release of Everybody Loves Jenifa this month, Funke hosted a dinner party for the entire cast and crew. During the gathering, Jide delivered an emotional speech, acknowledging her immense impact on his journey.
He shared how his role in her popular TV series, Jenifa’s Diary, became a turning point in his career. Jide recounted a moment in South Africa when he was pleasantly surprised to be recognized by fans because of his performance in the show.
“I did Jenifa Diaries for 7 or 8 years. When I traveled to South Africa for the first time, I was shocked that people knew me. I thought I would be free to walk around, but they knew me from Jenifa Diaries, which was known all over the world. That did a lot to my career.
If she had shot Everybody Loves Jenifa without the crew of Jenifa Diaries, it would still sell, and she would still tell her story without us, but she still involved us. I want to say a big thank you to her for putting me on this project.
You are wonderful and phenomenal, and God has blessed you. You don’t need anybody to achieve anything at this point. You have done a lot for people and I am trying not to get emotional. Thank you so much ma”.
Funke Akindele, taking to his comment section, appreciated him for the speech. She wrote, “My darling”.
One Emeka Okoye wrote, “Well said bro. She is a phenomenal
One I Am Nnetalks wrote, “Thank you, Uncle Jide, for saying all these now. We get to know her even more. God bless y’all
One Debbie Alaks wrote, “Thank you for appreciating her
One Grateful1570 wrote, “This is a good speech. He said it all. She can decide to use other people but she chose this cast. It’s a privilege indeed. Cheers guys
One Ayosojumi Adeniyi wrote, “This is so emotional to watch”.