Funke Akindele Defends Her Dance Videos as Serious Marketing Strategy
Nollywood actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele explained that her widely‑shared dance clips, used to promote her movies, began as a low‑budget publicity tactic.
In an interview with Bella Naija, Akindele said she resorted to filming dance routines from her sitting room after completing Battle on Buka Street because she lacked funds for a traditional marketing campaign.
She noted that many viewers mistook the videos for mere entertainment, unaware that they were part of a deliberate promotional plan.
“I did Battle on Buka Street and I didn’t have the budget for PR and marketing,” she said. “So I set up a backdrop in my sitting room, placed a camera there, and enlisted the help of my cinematographer and brother.”
Akindele urged critics to stop belittling her effort, emphasizing that the dances required hard work and creativity.
“If you don’t feel like jumping on a dance trend to promote your film, that’s fine—but don’t dismiss my approach. Create your own ideas and be audacious,” she added.
The filmmaker expressed her desire to inspire the next generation of female directors, hoping they will be bold, hardworking, and willing to carve their own paths.
Reflecting on recent projects like Ayetoro Town, she became emotional seeing young talent striving, sometimes exhausted, and recalled her own early struggles.
Although she does not earn directly from the dance videos, Akindele vowed to keep using her platform to lift others, praying for the grace to continue empowering emerging artists.
— Doris Ijeoma Israel, entertainment journalist and graduate of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos.
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