Veteran Nollywood actor Dele Odule has revealed why many actors in Lagos did not rally behind actress-turned-politician Funke Akindele during her 2023 deputy governorship bid.
Akindele ran as the deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alongside Abdul-Azeez Adediran (Jandor) in the 2023 Lagos election, but the ticket lost to incumbent Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking in a recent interview, Odule said Akindele would have posed a serious political threat in Lagos if the movie industry had united behind her. However, he alleged that financial inducement and personal interests prevented many Nollywood figures from supporting her candidacy.
“When Funke Akindele decided to be a running mate in Lagos, if all actors and actresses supported her, she would have shaken the state,” Odule said.
He claimed that some influential figures in the industry were allegedly compromised by politicians who did not want Akindele to gain momentum.
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“Politicians know how to work their way. They would meet some people first and bribe them not to support Funke and it won’t be your enemies, it will be your friends,” he noted.
“There are few people who can resist money. People like me can say to hell with money but how many of us are like that?”
Odule added that unity within the industry remains difficult because many entertainers are financially vulnerable, making them easy targets for political manipulation.
“If we were many who could reject such offers, we could shake the nation. But they know they can use us,” he lamented.
The actor also used an example from his personal experience to illustrate how entertainers often undervalue themselves financially, arguing that financial pressure makes it easier for politicians to sway them.
Akindele, who returned to filmmaking after the election, has not commented on Odule’s remarks at the time of filing this report.
