Jide Awobona Mentions Why Funke Akindele Stands Out to Him: “I See Myself in Her”

• Actor Jide Awobona has opened up on the qualities he sees in Funke Akindele, describing the filmmaker as a creative force
• The actor praised Akindele’s ability to generate ideas and use her resources to bring ambitious projects to life in the Nigerian film industry
• Awobona also described acting as a demanding profession that requires total commitment, while explaining why he keeps his family away from public scrutiny

Nollywood actor and filmmaker Jide Awobona has revealed the reason he identifies strongly with actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele.

Speaking on Conversations With Kenni, hosted by media personality Kehinde Ajose, Awobona praised Akindele’s energy, discipline and creative drive, reports The PUNCH.

‘I see myself in Funke Akindele’

The actor said he sees qualities in Akindele that remind him of himself.

“When I see her, Funke Akindele, I see myself. I like her energy, her aura, her discipline,” he said.

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Awobona also praised the filmmaker’s creativity, noting that she has numerous ideas and the resources to bring them to life.

“She has a lot of ideas in there and I am happy God has blessed her with the resources to push the ideas,” he added.

Why acting demands everything

Awobona also described acting as a profession that does not easily share an actor’s attention with other commitments.

“Acting is a very jealous and selfish profession that requires your 100 percent,” he said.

The actor further revealed that his own creative projects are designed for audiences who appreciate intelligent storytelling.

“My projects are for very smart and intelligent people,” he said.

Why he keeps his family private

Awobona also explained his decision to shield his family from the intense scrutiny that often comes with fame.

According to him, he does not believe in putting relatives in the public eye simply because one family member works in entertainment.

“I don’t believe in putting everybody out there except they are in the business as well,” he said.

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For Awobona, fame may come with his career, but privacy remains a boundary he is determined to protect.

Jide Awobona defends his female movie role

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Jide Awobona sparked a major online conversation in 2025 after transforming into a woman for his advocacy film titled Rise With Me.

The filmmaker faced heavy criticism from some netizens who felt a female actor should have played the challenging character.

Jide Awobona dismissed the negative comments and noted that playing the gender-crossing role gave him an opportunity to showcase his wide acting range.

Source: Legit.ng