Nollywood actress and filmmaker, Toyin Abraham, has extended the hand of friendship to her colleague and ‘sister,’ Funke Akindele after years of bitter competition between the two.
In a lengthy write-up on her Instagram page on Sunday, April 21, 2024, which accompanied a photo of Akindele, Abraham recalled the fierce competition in the Yoruba movie industry years ago.
She noted that the competition to be the number one was so fierce that camps and enmity were created, which pitted actors against one another.
According to the filmmaker, the situation was worsened by professional gossip and hearsay, which further sowed the seed of discord in the industry.
“The number one cause of fights in the industry then was ‘he said, she said’ before the social media era. Dear Nollywood people, let me chip this in, stop tearing the industry down with your gossips. You have caused lots of damage with ‘he-said, she-said’,” she wrote.
Abraham talks about agelong competition with Akindele
Abraham also recounted how she waited in line while Akindele was the main attraction of the Yoruba Nollywood, only second to the likes of veterans, Bukky Wright and Fathia Williams.
She said her desire to wrest the limelight from Akindele sparked a competition between them.
However, when the latter eventually moved on to the English Nollywood cadre, the former took over as the darling of the Yoruba industry before she also moved on much later.
Meanwhile, this had only set the stage for a long-drawn competition between the two successful actresses, as narrated by Abraham.
“In the English industry, Aunty Funke and I continued the rivalry sort of. It pitted our fans against each other. We are two competitive Virgo women, we love to win and sometimes in that process, we splash dirt and mud. But with time, age, and more wisdom, I have realized we can compete without being negatively competitive,” Abraham said while extending the olive branch to Akindele.
Abraham appreciates Akindele’s strides in the movie industry
The filmmaker went on to commend Akindele for always pushing the boundaries of success and inspiring others to achieve the impossible.
Abraham noted how her colleague raked in ₦1 billion from the box office, a feat once considered too lofty for a woman to attain.
She said Akindele’s success story has taught other women to work harder, recalling how the Jenifa star smashed her (Abraham) box office record.
“Aunty Funke, I celebrate you for showing us what is possible. You are a winner. You sold over 1B, you made it possible for other women to dream.
“You ran us street with that 1B o, this year, many of us will move to 1B and we pray God makes you bigger. Thank you for making great movies and selling them like your life depends on it.
“Sis, let’s compliment each other even in competition at the box office, I owe you one post in December (only 1 o, I need to sell market…Lol). I pray that God will make all your dreams come true. I admire you and wish you all the best,” Abraham added.
Source: https://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/celebrities/toyin-abraham-extends-friendship-to-funke-akindele-after-years-of-rivalry/lgsy7pw
