President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Funke Akindele, the Nollywood filmmaker, over her recent record-breaking box office achievement.
On Thursday, ‘A Tribe Called Judah‘, a family comedy-drama produced by Akindele, became the first Nollywood movie to hit N1 billion at the Nigerian box office.
The movie earned the N1 billion in just 3 weeks, making it the fastest Nigerian film to achieve the feat.
It also became the highest-grossing Nollywood movie of all time, with earnings still counting. The film made Akindele the highest-grossing Nollywood director of all time.
In a statement by Ajuri Ngelale, the presidential spokesperson, on Friday, Tinubu applauded the creativity and talents that are promoting the Nigerian entertainment industry.
The president also described the industry as “a source of enormous soft power and viable export”.
Tinubu commended Akindele for her new box office record and “her contributions to the growth of the industry”.
“President Bola Tinubu celebrates the ingenuity, creativity, and immense artistic talents of Nigeria’s thriving entertainment industry,” the statement reads.
“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.”
Tinubu also said he will provide an enabling environment for the industry to thrive better.
