“I Didn’t See Funke Akindele Going This Far” - Actress Bunmi Nelson Regrets Missing Her Big Opportunity

Nollywood actress Bunmi Nelson has opened up about a major career opportunity she believes she missed after underestimating the potential of filmmaker and actress Funke Akindele years ago.

Looking back on her journey, Nelson admitted she didn't imagine Akindele would rise to become one of the biggest names in Nollywood.

Today, however, she says she can barely “see her back” and wishes she had taken her former colleague more seriously.

Reflecting on the past, Nelson warned people against looking down on others simply because they have not yet achieved their potential.

“I didn’t see Funke going far. That’s why in life, don’t underestimate anybody. Don’t look down on anyone except when you’re admiring their shoelace.”

She continued:

“If I knew Funke would go far like this, I would have held her tight because I can’t even see her back now.”

The actress’s comments have resonated with fans, particularly because of how dramatically Funke Akindele’s career has evolved over the years.

According to Nelson, her missed opportunity dates back to around 2006 or 2007, when the Nigerian film industry was considerably smaller. She explained that Akindele introduced her to veteran filmmaker Odunfa after they met through a mutual friend. At the time, Nelson was already providing houses as filming locations and had interacted with several people within the industry.

Akindele reportedly later approached her for a filming location and repeatedly encouraged her to consider joining the entertainment industry herself. However, Nelson admitted that she did not take the invitations seriously. She said she had heard various stories about the Yoruba movie industry, including claims that newcomers would be expected to show excessive respect to established actors and perform menial tasks.

“I was telling her, ‘I’ve heard a lot about Yoruba industry. They will say you should say, auntie. They will say you should kneel. Then one person say you should carry bag.’”

Those fears ultimately contributed to her decision to stay away.

Looking back, Nelson now believes she allowed hearsay and assumptions to stand between her and what could have been a major career opportunity.

“I missed that big opportunity because Funke was telling me then that, ‘Ah, why don’t you come?’”

The actress admitted that her experience has taught her one major lesson: humility.

According to Nelson, people should never assume they know how far another person’s journey will go.

“That is why you need to humble yourself in life. If there’s anything I’ve learned in life now, it’s humility.”

Nelson did not stop at sharing her regrets. She also publicly apologised to Kunle Afod, Sodiq Adebayo and Funke Akindele, seemingly acknowledging that her decisions and attitude at the time may have cost her valuable relationships and opportunities.

She further appealed to Funke Akindele for another chance to work with her.

The experience has left Nelson with a powerful reminder: Never underestimate someone simply because you cannot yet see their future.