Nollywood actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has broken her silence after facing heavy online criticism for sharing birthday photos on the same day the industry mourned the death of veteran actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo. The 49-year-old actress marked her birthday with a series of glammed-up photos, which many social media users deemed insensitive given the timing.
Birthday Post Sparks Outrage
In her birthday post, Akindele expressed gratitude to God, reflecting on seasons of wins, mistakes, lessons, and challenges, crediting Him as her constant strength and shield. However, this personal, faith-driven celebration did not sit well with a section of her followers, who felt she should have paused the celebration out of respect for the fallen Nollywood icon.
Dozens of social media users called out the actress for not showing restraint following the veteran actor's passing. One user, Ayofe, wrote: "Shey you no dey read the room no? Na birthday be the next thing to dey post?" Another, Olayinka Mujeeb Aden, commented: "Aunty Funke, shame on you! We are mourning the death of Ogogo. And you dey post about birthday. Omo, this is not fair."
Critics Question Timing
OAR Azeez questioned why Akindele did not shift her birthday celebration, writing: "Why you no shift your birthday to another day? You lost a prominent person in your industry, which comes to sober reflection. Remember that death is inevitable." Kanel tweeted: "If I were you, Aunty Funke, I woulda forgo the celebration of my birth for the year. Today should be all about the passing of Ogogo. But we are not the same person. Happy birthday to you, and I wish you long life in good health."
Another user, Constantinople, wrote: "A colleague of yours just died even though you sent your condolences yesterday, and so? A colleague and a legend, but here u are posting a photo shoot coz you're too hungry to post on ur birthday. What a good human being you are. Congratulations hbd! Hurrrrraaayy yeye."
Akindele's Response to Tribute
Rather than addressing the backlash directly, Akindele chose to respond to a warm birthday tribute posted by actor Iyebiye Adeitan. Adeitan recalled how he slid into her Twitter DMs back in 2011 as a teenager hoping to join her Scene One School of Drama. He described how she showed him unexpected kindness during a film location shoot, giving him money through her sister after he grew homesick, money he used to buy a BlackBerry Curve 2.
Fifteen years later, the two crossed paths again professionally, with Adeitan now a creative working alongside the filmmaker he once admired from afar. To the tribute, Akindele replied with a string of laughing emojis before adding, "my darling. thank you ?❤️?" The response, warm and unbothered, signalled that the actress was choosing joy over drama on her milestone birthday, regardless of the noise around her.
Earlier Success and Sacrifices
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Funke Akindele revealed the immense personal sacrifices she made while producing Behind The Scenes, which has grossed ₦2.7 billion at the Nigerian box office. She disclosed that the project demanded sleepless nights, missed meals, and abandoning social events to stay fully committed to her work. Now, the actress is finally enjoying rest and self-care after the film's remarkable commercial success.
