December Delight: Funke Akindele Continues to Shine with Annual Hit Movies, Adding Festive Magic to the Big Screen

The Nollywood industry has seen a significant change in its way of making films. Nollywood ranks as the second-largest growing film industry in the world, with over 2,500 films produced each year. This industry has birthed great icons who have graced our screens for decades and are still effortlessly doing that from the time of Chief Lere Paimo, Pete Edochie, Taiwo Ajai-Lycett, Lanre Hassan and Patience Ozokwor.

These legends are still on screens, and they paved a great way for other incredible young actors like Funke Akindele, Genevieve Nnaji, Ramsey Noah, Stephanie Okereke Linus, Alex Ekubo, Tobi Bakre, etc. Notwithstanding the rise of the Gen Z actors who are bodying their roles in various shows and films in the industry.

There has been a sudden change in the way we make films in the industry, and now there is a ‘December delight’ of various films and shows premiered and produced every December each year by our favourite actors. Funke Akindele is a pioneer of this ‘December Delight.’ She has managed to create box office films that portray various themes of culture every year but mostly sorts out the hit ones that make a ‘December delight.’

Right from the times of her ‘Jenifa’s diaries’, She’s a versatile trailblazer in nollywood’s Tapestry, mastering comedy, drama, and stardom with unmatched grace. From beloved roles to film productions, She continues to leave an indelible mark on African entertainment.

Last year, she made a hit film for our ‘December delight’ with the film ‘Battle on Buka Street.’ The film portrayed a theme of family drama and had the best actors entertaining us. Actors like Mercy Johnson, Nkem Owoh, Tina Mbah, Sola Sobowale, Femi Jacobs, and Bimbo Ademoye, among others, delivered captivating performances in ‘Battle on Buka Street,’ making it a cinematic masterpiece.”

‘Battle on Buka street,’ became the highest grossing Nollywood film in the box office surpassing her own film ‘Omo Ghetto: Saga.’ Funke is known as the queen of box office and currently, she premiered her most anticipated film, ‘A tribe called Judah.’ It had its world premiere on 10th December, 2023. The night was full of bliss and many celebrities turned up for Funke Akindele.

The film is out in every cinema outlet across Nigeria and it has been met with positive reactions and criticisms from people. Funke Akindele really made a great mark this time in promoting the film and inviting the best people for its premiere. It had an ensemble of talented actors like Boma Akpore, Ebele Okaro-Onyiuke, Etinosa Idemudia, Fathia Balogun, Jide Kene Achufusi, Juliana Olayode, Olumide Oworu, Paschaline Alex, Tobi Makinde, Yvonne Jegede, and Genovevah Umeh, Timini Egbuson, Nse Ekpe-Etim. among others.

It seems Funke will be giving us more hit films next year and we expect another ‘December delight’ from the queen of box office. She really paved a way and now, we have two other lead female actors who premiered and produced their films this December; Mercy Aigbe for “Ada Omo Daddy” and Toyin Abraham’s Film for “Malaika” which will have its own premiere 22nd December, 2023. It’s a new resurgence for the nollywood film industry and luckily we are happy to be part of it.

Written by: Onwumere Ikenna Churchill for West African weekly.

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