Nollywood actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele marked her 49th birthday on Monday, August 24, 2026, with a set of portraits shared on her verified Instagram page.
She wore a floor-length silver gown by Zack Styling, photographed by Aham Ibeleme, and paired the images with a message about faith and gratitude.
In her caption, Akindele thanked God for the year behind her and the one ahead. She wrote that through every season, every lesson and every mistake, she had felt supported and strengthened, and she prayed for good health, long life, peace and the grace to keep walking in purpose.
However, Funke Akindele’s birthday fell on the same day as the burial of veteran Yoruba actor Taiwo Hassan, known professionally as Ogogo, who died on Sunday, August 23, at the age of 66 following a battle with stage-four cancer. His funeral took place in Ilaro, Ogun State, drawing colleagues, friends and fans from across the Nigerian film industry.
The overlap drew criticism from a section of Akindele’s followers, who felt her celebration was poorly timed given the mourning within Nollywood. One commenter argued she should have paused the celebration out of respect, writing that the day should have belonged to Ogogo. Another questioned the decision to post glamorous photographs so soon after sending condolences. Other users defended her, saying a personal anniversary should not be expected to give way to a colleague’s passing, however significant the colleague’s passing may be.
Rather than remove the post, Akindele addressed the backlash directly in a follow-up statement thanking the public for their support. She wrote:
“I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for every prayer, every message, every call and all the love you showed me.”
She closed the message by wishing her audience “beautiful reasons to celebrate” and thanking them for making her birthday, in her words, “even more special.”
Funke Akindele’s page filled with messages from fans, friends and industry colleagues. Among those who publicly celebrated her were media personality KieKie, actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, influencer Diiadem and actress Hilda Baci, who joined thousands of fans in wishing her continued health and success.
Two days after her birthday, on Wednesday, August 26, Akindele was seen in Paris, France, spending time with her twin sons and her former husband, Nigerian-British music producer Abdulrasheed Bello, known as JJC Skillz. Videos shared on Instagram and Snapchat showed the family at an indoor arcade, at a shopping center and near the Eiffel Tower.
In one clip, Bello addressed Akindele by the nickname “Mama Ibeji” and asked if she would join a game. She laughed and agreed. The pair, who married in London in 2016 and welcomed twin sons in 2018, announced their separation in June 2022. They have continued to appear together at family occasions and industry events since then, including the 2023 premiere of their film “She Must Be Obeyed.”
Clips from a private dinner with cast members of “The Four,” including Timini Egbuson and Vee Iye, also spread across social media, showing them honoring her with a birthday song.
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Funke Akindele is preparing for the global cinema release of her next project, “The Four: No One Fights Alone,” scheduled for December 11, 2026. The film, produced under the Funke Akindele Network banner, centers on themes of friendship, motherhood, and resilience among women.
Born Olufunke Ayotunde Akindele on August 24, 1977, in Ikorodu, Lagos State, she remains one of Nollywood’s most commercially successful filmmakers and continues to draw wide public attention to both her professional and personal life.
