Funke Akindele: Why I don’t practise law despite studying it

Funke Akindele, the Nollywood actress, has revealed why she does not practise law despite studying it.

In a recent interview with BBC Yorùbá, the filmmaker said studied law at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) to please her late father.

Akindele said despite her interest in acting, singing, and dancing, her late dad always wanted her to be a lawyer.

She said she eventually studied law to fulfil her dad’s wish and thereafter went back to acting.

The actress said she “never regretted studying law because it reflected in my works”.

“Truly I studied law at the University of Lagos. My father wanted me to be a lawyer. When he was alive he was always saying ‘you will become a lawyer’. I just wanted to act on stage. I wanted to sing and dance,” she said.

“I would say okay, let me study this law and give it to you. When I study this law I will go back to my acting.

“I never regretted studying law because it reflected in my works. Because I love criminal law so much. I like a law where someone errs against the law and is sentenced. All the investigations.

“If you notice, you will see that I usually add up what I have studied in my work. Law and my work can be hand in hand. And I never regretted studying law. But I have not been practicing law.

“Nowadays I have been thinking about it. I can do it.”

‘A Tribe Called Judah‘, a family comedy-drama produced by Akindele, became the first Nollywood movie to hit N1 billion at the Nigerian box office.

There were, however, claims the movie was about the actress’ mother.

In the interview, Akindele also addressed the claims while revealing why she dedicated the movie to her mother.

“Some people think A Tribe Called Judah is a story about my mother. She gave birth to four children and she gave birth to them to only a father. Jedidah who is the lead actress, gave birth to five children. Different fathers, from different tribes – Yorùbá, Hausa, Ibo, Warri, Benin, everything is there. My mum only gave birth to four children,” she added.

“But Jedidah loved her children. There is nothing she could not do for her children. That was who my mother was. My mother suffered so much for us. That is why the movie is dedicated to her.”