Funke Akindele, the acclaimed Nollywood actress, producer, and box office sensation, has responded to recent accusations that she underpaid actor Ijoba Lande for his work on one of her projects.
The actress took to a conversation with media personality Chude Jideonwo to address the allegations, offering insight into her personal struggles during the difficult time in which the controversy emerged.
Akindele opened up about the overwhelming challenges she has faced recently, including the breakdown of her marriage, her loss in the Lagos governorship election, the death of her beloved mother, and the responsibility of raising her children as a single parent.
These burdens have tested her in ways she never anticipated, and she shared how they led to an emotional breakdown.
During the interview, Akindele revealed the emotional toll that these events have taken on her.
“I do not like to mourn. I remember when my mom passed on, I just wanted to get out of it quickly,” she confessed.
Despite her strong exterior, the loss of her mother hit her hard, and she explained that her natural instinct was to suppress her grief and avoid fully confronting her pain.
“I like to get out of the situation quickly. I do not allow myself to break down, and it affected me after my mom’s death. And I almost died,” she admitted, offering a rare glimpse into the depth of her emotional struggle.
The weight of these personal tragedies, combined with the stress of her public life, left her feeling vulnerable in ways she hadn’t experienced before.
Akindele described the intense period that followed her mother’s death, revealing that the pain was compounded by a personal crisis that led her to break down publicly.
“My heart was aching, and something happened online,” she recounted. “For the first time, I took my phone, I went live on social media, and I’m like, you all should leave me alone.”
This was a rare moment of emotional exposure for the usually composed actress, as she found herself overwhelmed by the pressures of both her personal life and the relentless demands of public scrutiny.
The breakdown signified the intensity of her grief and how, despite her efforts to maintain control, the emotional burden had finally caught up with her.
The controversy surrounding Ijoba Lande’s claims of underpayment added fuel to the fire, exacerbating the actress’s already fragile emotional state.
Lande, a skit maker and actor whose real name is Ganiyu Kehinde Morufu, had publicly accused Akindele of underpaying him after he spent a month on her film set.
He alleged that he was paid just N90,000 for his work, a claim that quickly gained attention on social media. Akindele responded to the accusation by expressing her confusion over the allegations, stating,
“Do I know this person? No, this person came to act in my movie, got paid, and left. Why are you accusing me of something I didn’t do wrong?”
She emphasized that she had fulfilled her contractual obligations with him, and that his claim was not only untrue but also added unnecessary stress to her already complicated life.
In a candid moment, Akindele vented her frustration at the timing of the accusation, considering the overwhelming personal challenges she had been facing.
“Do you know what I’m going through? I lost my mum, my marriage fell apart, I lost in politics, and I have to get back to work. I have to earn a living,” she said.
With a heavy heart, she explained that in addition to the personal losses, she also had the responsibility of raising her children alone.
“I have children I’m raising alone, and you are stressing me,” she continued, revealing how the stress of the controversy led to her emotional breakdown. “So, for the first time, I cried. I broke down for weeks.”
This raw admission highlighted the pressure she was under and how the incident had compounded the emotional strain she was already experiencing.
The situation took a turn when Ijoba Lande later apologized to Akindele, clarifying that his initial statement about being paid N90,000 was inaccurate.
According to Lande, he had actually received N190,000 for his work on the set, not the lesser amount he had previously mentioned.
The apology came as a relief to Akindele, who had been deeply affected by the public altercation. Despite the resolution, the entire experience left Akindele shaken, reminding her of the challenges of balancing her professional responsibilities with her personal trials.
Nevertheless, the incident also underscored her resilience, as she continues to navigate her career and personal life amid the public’s expectations and scrutiny.
