Nollywood actress and producer, Funke Akindele, has bravely opened up about the emotional and physical toll she faced after the death of her mother in 2023, revealing that she almost lost her life due to the overwhelming grief and stress she endured during that difficult time.
In a heartfelt interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Funke Akindele recounted the personal challenges she faced, including the breakdown of her marriage, the tragic loss of her mother, and her defeat in the Lagos State gubernatorial election. She candidly shared how each of these events impacted her mental and physical well-being, and how the combination of these struggles nearly pushed her to the brink of death.
According to Funke, the death of her mother affected her deeply, not only because of the immense emotional pain but because she chose not to show her vulnerability during the grieving process. She admitted that she tends to avoid mourning and would rather move on quickly from painful situations. However, in this instance, her refusal to allow herself to mourn properly led to her becoming even more affected by the grief, ultimately taking a serious toll on her health.
She said, “I do not like to mourn. I remember when my mom passed on, I just wanted to get out of it quickly. I like to get out of situations quickly. I do not allow myself to break down, and it affected me after my mom’s death. And I almost died.”
Funke went on to explain the deep emotional and mental strain she was under, sharing how she felt physically unwell and mentally overwhelmed by the challenges she faced. She continued, “My heart was aching and something happened online. For the first time I took my phone, I went live on social media and I’m like, you all should leave me alone. Do I know this person? No, this person came to act in my movie, got paid, and left. Why are you accusing me of something I didn’t do wrong?”
She further revealed that the combination of personal losses—her mother's death, her failed marriage, and her political defeat—was crushing. Funke admitted that during this period, she felt like she had to continue working despite her emotional turmoil because she had children to care for and a livelihood to earn. She expressed how the added stress from critics online made her feel even more helpless, and for the first time, she allowed herself to break down. “Do you know what I’m going through? I lost my mum, my marriage fell apart, I lost in politics, I have to get back to work, I have to earn a living. I have children I’m raising alone and you are stressing me. So, for the first time, I cried. I broke down for weeks,” she said, reflecting on the intensity of her emotional pain.