Funke Akindele's Urgent Message: Embrace Mental Health & Family First!
Nigerian filmmaker and actress Funke Akindele recently shared candid advice on prioritizing mental health and family well-being during an interview with CNN Africa. She opened up about her personal struggles, emphasizing the importance of balancing work with private life and overcoming public scrutiny to focus on self-care and family.
Renowned Nigerian filmmaker and actress, Funke Akindele, has shared crucial advice regarding the importance of prioritizing mental health and family well-being. During a candid interview with CNN Africa, Akindele opened up about her personal struggles, revealing that she experiences moments of profound sadness and sometimes needs to break down and cry.
Despite these emotional challenges, Akindele emphasizes her ability to bounce back, a testament to her resilience. She candidly admitted that she is currently in a learning phase, striving to achieve a better balance between her demanding professional life and her private life, particularly dedicating more attention to her family.
Akindele described her coping mechanism, stating, “I cry. I lock myself in the room and cry. I break down and shake the bed, but I pick myself up and come back to life.” She acknowledged the added pressure of public scrutiny, especially concerning her personal life events like breakups and marriages. She often questions herself, wondering about public judgment, but ultimately chooses to focus on her well-being. “Sometimes I tell myself that I made a mistake again. How people are going to judge me, but I ask myself, do I really care about that? Why don’t you just brace up and face it? Make yourself happy and do what is right. You have to consider your mental health first, and that has helped me.”
Her journey involves intentionally reclaiming her sense of self. Akindele noted a shift in her priorities, moving from being solely work-focused to being more mindful of her personal appearance and overall self-care. She recounted, “I am trying to catch my groove back. I am trying to get back. Now I am more intentional about myself. Making my hair look good. I was all about work. I am still at work, but it was so bad because I could just come out with my cornrows, fez cap, and slippers or sneakers; I just get to work. But now you can see me dress well for the office.” This change reflects her realization that personal well-being is paramount. She concluded by highlighting that