Nollywood actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has addressed the controversy surrounding her use of dancing to promote her movies, revealing that the practice began out of financial necessity rather than a marketing strategy. Speaking in a recent interview, the box office queen recounted her experience during the production of Battle on Buka Street, a project that left her financially drained and unable to afford conventional public relations and marketing campaigns.
How Dancing Became a Promotional Tool
Akindele explained that after wrapping up Battle on Buka Street, she found herself broke and without a budget for PR. Determined to still promote the film, she improvised by setting up a backdrop in her sitting room, positioning a camera, and enlisting her cinematographer and brother to help her create content. They danced to the movie's soundtrack and consistently posted the clips online until audiences began to connect with the film.
“If you look at me, I love to dance. It's my thing. I'm just a happy girl. Oh yes, I got the dancing from my mom. I love to be happy. So I remember when I did Battle on Buka Street, I was very broke. Oh yes. After the shoots, I was very broke. I was going through a lot that period of my life. But I still wanted to do that movie. I did Battle on Buka Street, and I didn't have the budget for PR and marketing. So I just did a backdrop in my sitting room in my house, and I put the camera there. I told Blessyn, 'Blessyn is my, you know, he works with fan. He's a cinematographer there.' I also told my brother, 'Oh yeah, my phone is here. You have to create. We have to create content.' And we started dancing to the soundtrack. So, we kept posting, posting, and posting. Okay, now everybody loves the fact that Funke loves to dance. Oh, they love to see her happy. And I kept on doing it,” she said.
Response to Critics
The actress's comments come months after fellow filmmaker Kunle Afolayan stated that he would never dance to promote his films, citing Akindele and Toyin Abraham as examples of those who use dancing to sell their work. That remark sparked heated reactions from Akindele and drew responses from colleagues such as Omotola Jalade, Mo Abudu, and Regina Chukwu.
Akindele urged critics to stop belittling her hard work, emphasizing that dancing is simply an expression of her personality, not a calculated performance. She credited her mother for passing down her love of dancing and described herself as “just a happy girl.”
Reinvention and Collaboration
The filmmaker also spoke about the broader mindset that has kept her relevant in the fast-moving Nigerian film industry. She revealed that she regularly brings in young writers and new collaborators, refusing to act as though she knows everything. “I don't believe I know it all,” she said. “I keep reaching out to a lot of professionals in the film industry to work with them.”
Akindele maintained that nobody is forced to dance to sell movies. She advised her colleagues to create their own unique promotional ideas instead of copying her happy style. “If you now feel like you want to jump on it to promote your movie, you're welcome, but you don't have to dance. Create your own ideas. Come up with something different,” she said.
Support for a Blind Young Mother
In related news, Legit.ng reported that Funke Akindele generously supported Salaundeer Fathia, a young mother who lost her eyesight following childbirth. Content creator Olarinoye Oluwatofunmi released a video on Monday, July 6, 2026, revealing that the filmmaker donated a substantial amount for the woman's upcoming eye operation. The young mother had earlier undergone brain surgery for a tumour, prompting Akindele to publicly pray for her perfect healing and a great miracle.
