The Nollywood actress Funke Akindele has explained why, despite having studied law, she does not practice it.
The director claimed that she attended the University of Lagos (UNILAG) to study law in order to appease her late father in a recent interview with BBC Yorùbá.
Akindele noted that her late father always wanted her to become a lawyer, even though she enjoyed dancing, singing, and acting.
She claimed that after fulfilling her father’s dream by studying law, she returned 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.”
