BY Chinenye Okoye
When news of actress Funke Akindele’s private wedding to businessman and politician Kehinde Almaroof Oloyede filtered to the media, everyone was taken aback.
It was an Islamic ceremony and Akindele became known as “Khadijat”. A church wedding was to follow. But by then, an unsavoury dimension to the story was the report that Oloyede was already married with children, and his first wife, Fadekemi, was averse to his new union. Some said he was officially divorced from his first wife, while others said he was still married and living with her but under acrimonious circumstances.
Love so sweet
There were also tales of Oloyede fathering children from other women besides the four mothered by Fadekemi. But Jenifa’s mind was made up, as she believed she had found true love.
“I am no longer a kid and I know what it means to be in love,” she said at the time.
“I am in love and I am not ashamed to say so. This is not a feeling you contrive; it comes naturally. My dear, this is true love. And I have found it. Just be happy for me, I have found true love.”
Clearly, Alhaji Oloyede, also known as Kenny Doo, had won over Akindele heart.
The son of the Iyaloja of Oshodi Market had contested the chairmanship Oshodi local government and also the federal house of representatives, both of which he lost.
Love gone sour
Oloyede and Akindele got wedded at a lavish ceremony on May 26, 2012. But just 14 months after, what was a sweet the love story went sour.
When the story of their split first broke, Akindele denied it. But after Almaroof announced it on Facebook, she had little choice but to confirm and announce it via her publicist and sister, Ayo Ola-Muhammed.
She later revealed that she only enjoyed the first two months of the marriage, which was “not as emotionally satisfying” as she had anticipated.
“I was abused emotionally and verbally. Really, I felt we could work things out when the trouble started two months after the marriage, but I made up my mind and shut the door of the marriage at him when the trouble was coming to me too much,” she said in an interview.
“I stooped to conquer him; buried my fame and name to make him my husband, but it did not work. At a point in time, I asked if it’s not the same man that was all over me before we married. He nearly got me off my career. He called me several times; I did not answer his calls, but when he realised my silence was tormenting him, he took to Facebook.
“It’s alright. Ask him: when did he come to my house last? He left me here in my rented apartment with nothing and he will just dash in and dash out. He gets abusive, caustic, anytime we have a misunderstanding; and he often told me to my face that he was going to his wife in Oshodi.”
Oloyede was not as charitable in his Facebook announcement of the split, referring to Funke as “the greatest mistake” he had made in recent times. He returned to his first wife and and told anyone who cared to listen that he was through with Funke. He wrote: “I’m doing just fine, getting along without you; don’t need you anymore in my life. You [are] the greatest mistake I have made in recent times.”
Almaroof is fine, Akindele is
Yes, Akindele’s ex-husband may be doing fine without her, but she herself couldn’t be doing any finer; and everyone can see!
The very talented Nollywood star, who has a niche for interpreting comic roles in a thrilling and brilliant manner, continues to record astounding success in her career. She is the Best Actress in a Comedy award at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA) and she’s been involved in multiple endorsements, must-watch movies, and a film school. Life, for Jenifa, might have just begun.
The 37-year-old has come a long way since debuting in the 1999 family-oriented TV series, I need to Know, sponsored by United Nations. Her very remarkable role in the Yoruba movie, Jenifa, which she also wrote, shot her to superstar status and ever since, there has been no going back. The first half of 2014 alone has been particularly successful for the Lagos-born actress.
In February 2014, she emerged the new face of sports betting outfit, 1960Bet, netting some millions of naira in the process. She features in the commercials shot for the company, and the ad currently run on both on national and international television.
The following month, she received the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs) for Best Actress in a Comedy for her brilliant comic role in the movie, Return of Sheri koko. So brilliant was she in interpreting her comic movie roles that she was nominated thrice for the same category, the other two being for her performances in the movies, The Fighter and The Hero. Completing the nominations for the category were Mary Ogbonna of Clinic Matters, Jackie Appiah for Cheaters and Yvonne Okoro of The Contract.
In June, it was revealed that Jenifa — alongside fellow Nollywood stars, Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha and Ali Nuhu — were made brand ambassadors for worldwide detergent company, OMO, in what was yet another multi-million naira deal.
The Nollywood star aspires to produce more artistes from her Scene One School of drama, which held its first graduation in December, 2013. The Scene One School of Drama is a sub-unit of the Jenifa Foundation set up as a platform for youths to showcase and develop their creative arts talents. Established in 2011 by Funke Akindele, the courses offered include Etiquette and Manners, Introduction to Drama and Music, and Traditional and Contemporary dance.
Akindele has also been featuring in both English and Yoruba language movies. She starred in the world-acclaimed stage play, For Coloured Girls with Carol king (who played the role of her mother in I need to know), Osas Ighodaro, Matilda Obasekei, Oreka Godis, Diana Yekini and Ade Laoye.
In 2011, Flytime Productions shot the adaptation of the iconic play, which was first stage-acted by a different cast featuring Joke Silva, Tiwa Savage and Ireti Doyle. Directed by award-winning playwright/stage director, Wole Oguntokun, and produced by Keke Hammond, the film depicts the interconnected lives of nine women exploring their lives and struggles as women of colour.
After co-hosting the 2011 Nigerian Entertainment Awards, Akindele has been chosen along with comedian, Bovi and media personality, Gbemi Olateru Olagbegi to host the 2014 edition.
She was also nominated for 2014 NEA’s Lead actress in film award along side fellow Nollywood actresses, Nse Ikpe Etim, Daniella Okeke, Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha and Damilola Adegbite.
Well, marriage is good, but there’s surely more to life than marriage. And if there is anyone proving that at the moment, it has to be Jenifa!
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