If I Knew Funke Would Go This Far, I Would Have Held Her Tight’ – Bunmi Nelson

Nollywood actress Bunmi Nelson has expressed regret over missing an early opportunity to work closely with fellow actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele, admitting that she did not initially recognise how far her colleague would go in the entertainment industry.

Nelson made the revelation during an interview on the ‘Talk to B’ YouTube podcast, where she reflected on her career and the importance of humility and avoiding the mistake of underestimating others.

According to IREPORTERONLINE, Nelson recalled that she met Akindele through a mutual friend and was introduced to the Odunfa Caucus, a respected Yoruba theatre group and acting academy.

The actress explained that Akindele repeatedly encouraged her to become more actively involved in the entertainment industry at a time when she was mainly providing houses as locations for filmmakers.

However, Nelson admitted that she did not take Akindele’s invitations seriously and eventually missed what could have been a significant opportunity in her career.

Reflecting on the development, she warned people against looking down on others, noting that circumstances can change and those who are underestimated today may eventually become highly successful.

Nelson said she wished she had recognised Akindele’s potential earlier, joking that she would have held on tightly to the relationship if she had known how successful her colleague would become.

She also recalled her concerns about the demands of the Yoruba film industry at the time, including expectations surrounding respect, humility and seniority.

According to her, the experience taught her an important lesson about humility and the need to remain open to opportunities.

Nelson also used the opportunity to apologise to actors Kunle Afod and Sodiq Adebayo while appealing for another chance to work with Akindele.

The actress acknowledged that her earlier decisions may have caused her to miss valuable opportunities and expressed hope that she would have another opportunity to collaborate with the filmmaker.