The President, Bola Tinubu, has congratulated actress and filmmaker, Funke Akindele, on the success of her latest movie titled, ‘A Tribe Called Judah’, which recently made N1bn and became the highest grossing Nigeria movie of all time.
According to the Nigerian Box Office, the movie has grossed N1bn since its release on December 15, 2023. This achievement places Akindele in the top three positions of the highest-grossing Nollywood films of all time, with her films— ‘Battle on Buka Street’ (N668.4m) and ‘Omo Ghetto: The Saga’ (N636.1m), in the second and third place respectively.
A statement released by the president’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, read, “President Tinubu congratulates Ms. Funke Akindele on her record-setting film, and commends the ace thespian for her contributions to the growth of the industry.
“The President extols the excellence of the Nigerian creative industry, acknowledging its pivotal place as a medium not only for artistic expression but also a source of enormous soft power and viable export.
“The creative industry is one of the high-employment sectors, providing jobs for our able and talented youths. It is an industry that is crucial to my administration. I salute Nigerians for their enduring support and patronage of home-grown creative efforts. We will provide the conducive environment for the industry to thrive further.”
In a statement sent to Saturday Beats, Kene Okwuosa, the Group Chief Executive Officer of FilmHouse Group, whose cinemas show the film, commended Akindele for ‘such a remarkable achievement’. He said, “We are witnessing a golden era for Nigerian cinema, and Funke Akindele’s ‘A Tribe Called Judah’ reaching the 1 billion Naira mark is an indication that the creative industry is doing well. Despite the stiff competition from international streaming platforms, our local content continues to thrive, engaging audiences on a grand scale.”
The only other film to achieve N1bn in the West African Box Office is said to be a Hollywood movie titled, ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’, which was also distributed by FilmOne Entertainment.
Reacting to the milestone, Akindele wrote on Instagram, “Thank you Lord!!! Thank you Nigeria!! Thank you Ghana!!”
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
