Bunmi Nelson opens up on a podcast about turning down Funke Akindele years ago, and why she now wishes she’d listened.
Ever turned down something small, only to watch it grow into something huge while you weren’t looking? That’s exactly the story Bunmi Nelson just shared, and honestly, it’s the kind of gist that makes you sit up.
The Nollywood actress went on a podcast with Biola Adebayo recently and dropped a confession nobody saw coming. Back in 2006 or thereabouts, when Nollywood was still finding its feet, Funke Akindele reportedly kept encouraging her to join the industry properly. Bunmi said no. Multiple times, actually.
Why? She’d heard stories about the Yoruba film industry back then, things like having to call people “auntie,” kneel down, even carry bags for senior colleagues. So she stayed away.
Fast forward almost two decades, and Funke Akindele is now one of the biggest names to ever come out of Nollywood. Meanwhile, Bunmi stepped back from acting entirely for a while, choosing a relationship over her career, something she now openly regrets.
So there she was, on the podcast, saying the words out loud: “I’m sorry, Funke Akindele. I know I messed up, and I just want you to forgive me.” She didn’t stop there either. She admitted she genuinely never expected Funke to blow up the way she did. “I didn’t see Funke going far,” she said. “That’s why in life, don’t underestimate anybody.”
That line right there? That’s the real gist of this whole story. It’s not really about Bunmi and Funke. It’s about how we all sometimes brush people off, not realizing we’re watching the early chapters of someone’s biggest success story.
Bunmi also mentioned they never even met on a film set. It was through a mutual friend, and she says she’s respected Funke ever since, even after saying no to her. Now she’s back in the industry and, in her words, open to whatever job offers might come her way.
She didn’t stop at Funke either. She also apologized to actors Kunle Afod and Sodiq Adebayo, hinting she’d love to work with them too, someday.
It’s easy to laugh at moments like this, but there’s something quietly relatable about it. Who hasn’t looked back at a decision and wondered, “what if I’d just said yes?” Bunmi’s just brave enough to say it out loud, on a mic, for everyone to hear.
