Nigerian filmmaker, actress, producer and politician, Funke Akindele has opened up on how she earned her first ₦1 million in 1999 through the breakout role as Bisi in the popular TV series ‘I Need to Know’.

In a video, the Nollywood star recounted her early struggles, the challenges of securing the role and how she spent the life-changing sum.

Akindele said her journey began in 1996, taking on minor “waka pass” roles while enduring repeated rejections at auditions.

“I made that around 1999. I started my career from like 1996, playing waka pass roles, 1997 going for auditions, getting a lot of nos,” she recalled.

Her persistence paid off when she landed the role in I Need to Know, which marked a turning point.

“Then I got one big yes with ‘I need to know’ and that is how I got my first N1 million,” she said.

She recounted that during the pilot shoot, she was told she was overacting and risked losing the role.

“I almost lost the role ‘Bisi’ in ‘I need to know’. I shot the pilot of I need to know first and I acted so well and I was waiting for this call back. The call back didn’t come on time. I’m like ah okay.

“Then he just called me into the office. I’m like okay you’re a fantastic actress you’re doing so well but you’re over acting. They told me to go home and read my script, understand the character very well,” she said.

She added: “I was so worried. I said how am I going to do it now? Then I got home and I was so moody and my younger sister was like sister what’s wrong?

“I said ‘I need to know’. They said I’m not talking like a teenager.

“She said ah because I was not a teenager when I was filming ‘I need to know’. She said ah let me see the script and she held the script. She started reading.

“So I heard mama speak like a teenager and immediately you know I took in the character and I started speaking like mama and that and that was how I got the role.

“So that was how I made my first one million naira. We were paid for an episode but I will not tell you how much but all together ah I was shocked. I was like me that always jump for bike”.

Speaking of how she spent the money, Akindele stated that she first showed it to her mother, who advised her to pay her tithe.

Following this, she headed to Yaba market to revamp her wardrobe. She added: “What did I do with one million naira? First I showed it to my mom. Of course she knows about it and then mommy advised and said I have to pay my tithe first.

“I paid my tithe then I entered Yaba because I didn’t have shoes. I didn’t have maybe two or three I had there. I didn’t have good clothes.

“I changed my wardrobe, shoes, bags, everything. The girl that had no shoes yesterday has today”.

How I went from 'waka pass' roles to my first N1m

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