The Coming Of Governor Funke Akindele

The nomination of the famed thespian, Funke Akindele for the position of deputy governor by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Lagos State in the forthcoming General Election has been met with much controversy.

Her nomination by the PDP governorship candidate, Dr Olajide Adediran was dismissed by some ‘serious minded’ persons as bordering on hilarity. It was seen as another comical act in the celluloid realm from where Funke Akindele built up Jenifa as her brand.

Before Funke Akindele, another controversial thespian, Tonto Dikeh had been nominated for the position of deputy governor by the Action Democratic Congress, ADC in Rivers State.

Before her nomination, Tonto Dikeh had been reported as being in the wings to join the Obidient crowd of Nigerians motivating the Peter Obi candidacy.

It had been reported how she and another actress, Blessing Sunday became the first persons to put the controversial pastor, Reno Omokri to flight when they confronted him when he compared them to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Another movie star that has been in the news over the 2023 election is Kenneth Okonkwo, the Enugu born movie star who played a pioneering role in the takeoff of the Nollywood industry with his 1990 movie epic, Living In Bondage.

Last Monday, Okonkwo who was part of the 5% of Ndigbo who aligned with Muhammadu Buhari, boldly came out to affirm that he would not continue to live in bondage with the Muslim-Muslim ticket adopted by his party, All Progressives Congress, APC.

His bold decision has been welcomed with mixed reactions with many nevertheless still taunting him for identifying with the APC even in 2019 against the trend of many of those around him.

However, what could have been the most ambitious hope for the Nollywood industry in the forthcoming General Election is the now aborted presidential aspiration of Yul Edochie, the prodigy of the perhaps more achieving movie phenomenon, Pete Edochie.

Yul Edochie’s presidential aspiration has been swallowed up in the controversy over his second marriage to movie star, Judy Austin.

What some initially thought as a prank from Yul Edochie is perhaps turning into a living nightmare for his first family given  the repeated comical interventions from Judy Austin, the second wife. In the latest of her actions earlier this week, she took to Instagram to congratulate her rival, May Yul-Edochie’s son on his birthday despite the popular claim that she has scattered the home of the Yul-Edochies

Before now, Yul Edochie had also aspired for the governorship of his home state, Anambra. However, his two bids came out very poorly.

Despite his failures, he had been warming up for the presidential election in 2023. However, all that dream has been aborted following the eruption of Judy Austin into his life.

Just like Yul Edochie, all the movie stars referenced above have had issues in their marriages.

For Funke Akindele, the announcement of her nomination came in the wings of the disavowal by her husband of their marriage at the end of last month.

It was shocking given that Abdulrasheed Bello with Funke Akindele, had peppered many people with their lovey-dovey Instagram pictures in the past. The two put up an appearance of romance that made many to salivate.

Bello who has won a place of respect in the entertainment industry in his own right, to the shock of many disclosed that Funke Akindele asked him to leave the house in Amen Estate, Lagos, they shared. The house was apparently bought by her before their marriage.

It was as such not shocking that some in responding to her nomination asked her to first learn to deputise her husband before aspiring to become deputy governor of Lagos State. In the consideration of some she could throw men out of Lagos if ever she holds political power.

Given the intrigues and deep issues in marriage it is out of place for this correspondent or anyone for that matter to apportion blame for the breakup of the marriage of Funke and JJC Skillz, as Bello is more popularly known in the industry.

It is now open to question as to whether the announcement by JJC Skillz on June 30 of the break up of their marriage was meant to dissuade the PDP from approaching Funke Akindele.

Though there is no constitutional basis for implying that failure in marriage should be used to bar anyone from political office, the moral imperative of upholding the institution of marriage in our society cannot be over-emphasised.

As an entertainment entrepreneur, Jenifa has done much not only by making us to laugh over the stress of Nigeria happening to us, she has also been an employer of labour, and some say, also involved herself in philanthropic works.

The claim by some that Funke Akindele is just an entertainer and as such not fit for the post of deputy governor is even more puerile. Many say that the example of the former comedian, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, holding forth as war president in Ukraine dismisses such insinuations.  

Funke Akindele has managed her business successfully and is even more fit for the office of governor than many of those presently holding that office simply because they feel that it is their ambition or their turn.

She is a lawyer, a mother, and a successful entertainment entrepreneur. Her failure in marriage should be the least of our burdens in assessing her.

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