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Akindele Olufunke Ayotunde (popularly known as Funke Akindele , born August 24, 1976 in Ikorodu ,Lagos State , Nigeria ) is a
Nigerian actress . She came to limelight after featuring in popular United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) sponsored sitcom; I Need to Know , which ran from 1998 to 2002. In 2009 she won the Africa Movie Academy Award for
Best Actress in a Leading Role . Funke Akindele also plays the lead character in the hit TV show Jenifa's Diary , alongside Fisayo Ajisola ,
Falz , Lolo and more. The show is a spin-off from the movie titled Jenifa .

Early life
Akindele was born on August 24, 1976 in
Ikorodu , Lagos State , Nigeria . She is the second of three children (two girls and one boy). Her mother is a medical doctor while her father is a retired school principal.

Education
She obtained an Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Mass Communication from the former Ogun State Polytechnic, now Moshood Abiola Polytechnic and got a Law degree from the
University of Lagos , Akoka, Yaba.

Career
Funke came to limelight after featuring in popular United Nations Population Fund ( UNFPA) sponsored sitcom; I Need to Know, which ran from 1998 to 2002. She played Bisi, a curious but highly intelligent secondary school student. Funke Akindele's big break came in 2009 from the movie titled Jenifa. Funke Akindele has over a 100 movies to her credit as actress, writer and producer.

Charity initiative
She runs a non-governmental organisation known as THE JENIFA FOUNDATION, whose aims and objectives involves nurturing talents and acquiring vocational skills.

Endorsements
Funke Akindele has a lot of endorsement deals to her name, the most recently is her being signed as Ambassador to Irokotv.
Awards and nominations
This list is incomplete ; you can help by
expanding it .

Year Event Prize Recipient
2009
Africa Movie Academy Award
Best Actress Leading Role Jenifa
2009 Nigeria Entertainment Awards
Best actress Jenifa
2010
2010 Best of Nollywood Awards
Best Actress Leading role (Yoruba)
Oguni Aiku
2012
2012 Nigeria Entertainment Awards
Best Actress Troj
2012 Nollywood Movies Awards
Best Actress (Indigenous)
Emi Abata
2012 Best of Nollywood Awards
Best Actress (English)
Married But Living Single
Zulu African Film Academy Awards
Best Actress
Maami and The Return Of Jenifa
2013
2013 Nollywood Movies Awards
Best Actress (Leading Role) Maami
Best Actress (Indigenous)
2014
2014 Nigeria Entertainment Awards
Best Actress (Leading Role)
Agnetta O'mmpa
2014 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards
Best Actress (Comedy)
The Return Of Sheri Koko
ELOY AWARDS
Brand Ambassador of the Year
Omo
2016
2016 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards
Best Actress In Comedy Role
Jenifa's Diary
Nigeria Entertainment Awards
Best Actress Series
Jenifa's Diary
Naija Fm Awards
Sitcom Of The Year Jenifa's Diary Best Actress In Comedy
Africa Entertainment Legend Awards
Best Actress of the Year
2016 Ghana Movies Awards
Best Actress Africa Collaboration
A Trip To Jamaica
Marriage
On May 26, 2012 Funke got married to Adeola Kehinde Oloyede. A year later in July 2013, she got divorced citing irreconcilable difference for her separation from Oloyede (now ex-husband). Funke married Nigerian rapper Abdul Rasheed Bello known as JJC Skillz in London in May 2016.

Funke Akindele is our Class act of the day.