Eric Patrick
Renowned Nigerian filmmaker actress turned politician, Funke Akindele, popularly known as Jennifer, has revealed the reason she ventured into the world of politics.
Speaking at the #WithChude Live talk hosted by Chude Jideonwo, Jennifer stated that her choice to run as the deputy governorship candidate for Lagos State in 2023 with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was motivated by a wish to give back to the community and help others.
The actress described her journey as a transformative experience, emphasising that it has significantly enhanced her understanding of leadership, governance, and national development.
She emphasised the importance of knowledge, explaining how she cultivated a habit of extensive reading and supporting her arguments with data and evidence.
Appreciative of the insights she has gained, Akindele suggested that a return to politics might be in the future.
She said, “I need to support others, I need to give back. That is why I went into politics. Getting into it, seeing the violence, seeing the shouting, then I started watching female politicians, you know, the way they speak, and the way they command respect and authority. And I’m like, hey, you can do it.
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“I stood, I spoke, I learnt that from there, that you have to be bold, you have to be courageous, you have to be strong, what will be will be, fear will only put you in a place.
“So all this I learned from doing politics. And I got to know a lot of numbers, I got educated more, acquired more knowledge, you know, I’m reading more now, knowing more about my country, knowing more about my state.
“When I want to speak, I’ll speak with the statistics, you understand, with the data.
“So, I am glad I went into politics. And ask me, am I going to do it again? Oh, yes!”