Award-winning Nollywood actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele spoke frankly about her emotional struggles during her dabbling in politics, which shows that it made her seek treatment for the first time.
In a heartfelt conversation with Chude Jideonwo, a media personality, posted on Instagram on Thursday, Akindele began with how the harsh criticism and personal attacks she suffered during her political campaign in 2023 have deeply affected her mental health.
During the last general election, Akindele competed for a candidate for lieutenant governor under the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party of Lagos State (PDP). Although her political journey has attracted great public interest, it has also been subject to severe scrutiny and ridicule, especially about her marital status.
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She shared: “There was a video I watched as women laughing at me for not having a husband and I wanted to do politics. I broke down and cried. I told myself I needed to talk to the therapist and I felt much better.”
Despite long-standing understanding of the value of treatment, Akendall admitted that she had previously refused to seek help because she was worried that her private life might become public feed.
“From the beginning, I always knew the therapy was important, but never submitted it because I didn’t want them to carry their own points. I kept being strong when they threw everything at me.”
Akindele, known for her blockbuster movies, used her experience to shed light on the importance of mental health support, urging others facing emotional challenges not to remain silent.
“I would like to suggest that it is very important for you to speak up,” she concluded.