I Did Everything To Survive’ — Funke Akindele Opens Up On UNILAG Hustle Days

Award-winning Nigerian actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has opened up about the challenges she faced while studying at the University of Lagos, revealing the different businesses and jobs she took on to support herself before achieving fame.

According to reports from Ireporter Online, the actress disclosed during a recent interview that she engaged in several hustles while at UNILAG, including selling cakes, making nails, working as a make-up artist, handling costumes, managing filming locations, and selling bed spaces to fellow students.

Akindele explained that she taught herself nail-making by observing professionals in Yaba before starting her own small business. She recalled that one of her early experiences was difficult when a customer reacted angrily after being dissatisfied with her work.

She said she would purchase nail materials, sit around corridors, and invite people to patronise her services as she built her skills.

The filmmaker noted that nail-making was only one part of the many ways she tried to make ends meet during her university days. She also revealed that she sold cakes, with renowned make-up artist Bimpe Onakoya among her customers.

According to her, she later ventured into make-up, costume sourcing, and styling for actresses, including popular Nollywood figures such as Bukky Wright and Iyabo Ojo. She recalled travelling to Yaba markets to purchase and prepare costumes for film productions.

Akindele further revealed that she worked as a location manager, where she helped filmmakers secure properties for movie shoots and earned commissions from the arrangements.

She also admitted to selling bed spaces at the University of Lagos as part of her efforts to survive financially during her student years.

The actress described herself as a product of determination and resilience, stating that her experiences shaped her into the strong personality she is today.

“I am a hustler. Life taught me, and I cannot do otherwise,” she said, reflecting on the struggles that contributed to her journey from a student entrepreneur to one of Nollywood’s most successful filmmakers.