Actress Bunmi Nelson has opened up about a career decision she now considers a major missed opportunity, saying she underestimated Funke Akindele when both actresses were finding their feet in the Nigerian film industry.
Nelson made the revelation during an appearance on actress Biola Adebayo’s Talk to B podcast, where she reflected on her early encounters with Akindele and the latter’s determination to establish herself in the Yoruba film industry.
According to Nelson, Akindele repeatedly reached out to her in the early days, including asking to use her home in Magodo, Lagos, as a filming location.
Nelson recalled that she regularly allowed filmmakers to use her house for productions because she was already involved in a soap opera and worked with film locations at the time.
She said Akindele once came to her home with veteran actress Mama Fali Werepe, seeking permission to shoot there.
However, Nelson admitted that she did not recognise the potential Akindele possessed and often ignored her calls.
“I missed that big opportunity in 2006 and 2007,” Nelson said, explaining that Akindele was encouraging people to join the Yoruba movie industry at the time.
Looking back, Nelson said she would have maintained a closer relationship with Akindele if she had understood how far her career would eventually go.
She also acknowledged that Akindele later helped her gain access to opportunities in the industry, including taking her to Odun Ifa.
Nelson described her decision to overlook Akindele as a lesson in humility, saying the experience changed the way she views people and opportunities.
She urged people not to dismiss others based on their circumstances or position at a particular point in their lives.
For Nelson, Akindele’s trajectory is a reminder that early appearances do not always reveal how far a person can go.
Today, Akindele is one of the prominent figures in Nigeria’s film industry, with a career spanning acting, filmmaking and production, as well as several successful box-office projects.
Nelson said the experience has taught her that circumstances can change and that nobody should be written off simply because they appear insignificant at a particular stage of their journey.
