“I Could Have Chosen Wrong Ways to Make Money, But I Chose Hard Work” — Funke Akindele
Award-winning Nollywood actress and producer Funke Akindele has advised Nigerian youths to abandon the get-rich-quick mentality and focus on acquiring skills, discipline, and hard work.
Speaking in a recent interview with BellaNaija, the filmmaker said success requires patience and consistent effort, stressing that she deliberately chose legitimate means of earning a living despite facing challenges early in life.
Using her personal journey as an example, Akindele recalled selling bed spaces while studying at the University of Lagos and making sacrifices to support herself financially.
According to her, dedication, capacity-building, and continuous self-improvement remain key ingredients for long-term success.
“I could have been wayward to earn a living but I decided to follow the right path. I was selling bed spaces in Unilag so I could survive. I was hustling. I am a hustler. That’s why you see that I am so ‘handsome.’
“I am very firm because life taught me. I can’t do otherwise. I just want to work and earn a living. I am wired like that.
“Skills acquisition is very important. As a young woman or man, you have to acquire skills so that when there is no job, you can use your skill to make money for yourself,” she expressed.
