Nollywood actress Bunmi Nelson has reflected on an early-career encounter with Funke Akindele, admitting that she underestimated the actress at a time when neither could have easily predicted how far her career would go.
Nelson made the revelation during an interview on the ‘Talk to B’ podcast, hosted by actress Biola Adebayo, where she spoke about her early experiences in the Nigerian film industry and the lessons she has learned from them.
‘I Can’t Even See Her Back Now’
Looking back, Nelson said she regrets not taking Akindele more seriously when the latter was still building her career.
“If I knew Funke would go far like this, I would have held her tight. Because I can’t even see her back now. It was even Funke that took me to Odun Ifa,” Nelson said.
According to the actress, Akindele had approached her at the time seeking a location for a film project. Nelson said she regularly allowed filmmakers to use her home in Magodo, Lagos, as a shooting location and had no problem accommodating productions.
She recalled that Akindele even came to the house with veteran actress Mama Fali Werepe because she wanted to shoot there.
“Then, I used to give people my house to shoot. I just love it. I used to do location then, and I was also in a soap opera. Funke now approached me and said she needed a house. She even brought Mama Fali Werepe to our house then at Magodo, saying she wanted to shoot there.”
However, Nelson admitted that she did not respond positively to Akindele's attempts to reach her.
Ignoring Akindele's Calls
The actress said she would often ignore Akindele's calls, a decision she now considers one of the mistakes she made early in her career.
“The mistake I made now was I just felt… she will be calling me then, I will just ignore. I don’t know if it was my village people.”
Nelson said the period was particularly significant because the Nigerian film industry was not as crowded as it is today, meaning there were opportunities for actors and other industry professionals to establish themselves.
“I had every opportunity when Funke was calling me because the industry was not overpopulated like now,” she added.
She also recalled that Akindele had encouraged her to join the Yoruba-language movie industry between 2006 and 2007, an opportunity Nelson now describes as a major one that she failed to recognise at the time.
“I missed that big opportunity in 2006 and 2007 because she was telling me to join the Yoruba movie industry.”
‘Don’t Underestimate Anyone’
For Nelson, the experience has become a personal lesson in humility and the unpredictability of success.
She said her early perception of Akindele taught her not to dismiss people simply because of where they are at a particular point in their careers.
“If there’s anything I have learned in this life, it is humility. I’m more humble now than anything else because life has taught me the hard way that nothing is constant,” she stated.
Using her experience as a warning to others, Nelson urged people not to underestimate those around them simply because they have yet to achieve significant recognition.
“I didn’t see Funke Akindele going far; that’s why, in life, don’t underestimate anyone. Don’t look down on anyone except when you’re admiring their shoelace.”
Akindele's Remarkable Rise
Akindele has since established herself as one of Nigeria's most prominent actresses, filmmakers and producers, building a career that extends far beyond her early days in the industry.
She has been associated with several successful film and television projects and has become a major force at the Nigerian box office.
For Nelson, the story is therefore less about a missed acting opportunity and more about how difficult it can be to recognise someone's future potential at the beginning of their journey.
Her reflection also highlights a broader reality of the entertainment industry: careers can change dramatically over time, and today's emerging actor or filmmaker could become tomorrow's industry leader.