Popular Nollywood actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has appealed to people to speak up about their mental health struggles and seek therapy.

Speaking during the #WithChude Live talk hosted by media entrepreneur Chude Jideonwo, Akindele revealed that, despite her public image of strength, she had silently struggled with emotional pain and online bullying.

She said, “Right from the start, I’ve always known that therapy is important, but I never submitted myself to it. You know, I’d be like, I don’t want anyone to hear about me. They’ll go and spread the gist. But I was dying in silence because I was acting strong.

“Every time I showed strength, they threw more at me — at home, from family, at work, in society. You’re the role model for a lot of people out there.

“I’m a very strong person. I have that strength, my God. I would hold my face firm, oh yes. I saw all the insults on social media, all the posts, but I tried to stay tough. But I reached a point in my life where I almost lost it mentally.”

She shared how the loss of her mother, the backlash she faced in politics, and public mockery of her personal life weighed heavily on her mental health and led her to seek therapy.

The actress continued, “When Mum passed on — my everything, my prayer partner — the politics, the backlash, the insults, you know?


“There was one video I watched. They were mocking me, saying I don’t have a husband. Women dancing and mocking me. I broke down. I cried and cried and cried. Then I told myself, you need to speak to someone about this. You can’t continue like this. You need to speak up, you understand?

“And I reached out, and I started speaking. I felt better. Things I couldn’t tell others, I told my therapist. And now I’m better. So I want to advise you out there: it’s very important for you to speak up. Yes.”

She also recounted a particularly painful episode during a family holiday in Dubai, when she was accused online of ignoring a fellow actress, the late Adejumoke Aderounmu, who had reportedly struggled with depression before her passing.

Akindele said, “People called me out for something I didn’t do. They said, ‘Wasn’t she in Jenifa? Why are you now feeling bad she passed on? She was depressed, and you didn’t help her.’ And I was already depressed myself. I was bottling up so much.

“You know what I did? I took my phone, went into a room, and locked the door so that Juliana wouldn’t enter while I was doing the live video. I locked the door.

“Some people lock the door and end their lives. I thank God that I could lock the door and go live instead,” she said.

Reflecting on that moment, Akindele emphasised the importance of opening up, saying, “There’s no such thing as a strong person. You need to speak up.”