Nigerian actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has come under fire on social media after celebrating her birthday at a time the Nollywood industry was mourning the death of veteran actor and filmmaker, Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports that Ogogo died at the age of 66 after battling stage-four cancer, throwing the Yoruba movie industry and fans into mourning.
The late actor was subsequently laid to rest, with several of his colleagues and other mourners gathering to pay their final respects.
However, as tributes continued to pour in for the late Nollywood icon, Funke Akindele took to social media to celebrate her birthday with a lengthy message reflecting on her life, career, challenges, successes and gratitude to God.
She wrote: “Today is my birthday.🎉 My heart is full of gratitude to God for all He has done, all He is doing, and all that is still to come. Through every season, every lesson, every win, every mistake and every challenge, God has remained my strength and my shield. Even in moments when I have fallen short, He has given me the grace to rise, learn, keep going and become better. Today, my prayer is simple. That God blesses me with good health, long life, peace and the grace to keep walking in purpose. I pray that my life continues to mean something beyond me. That I can touch more lives, open more doors, nurture more talents, raise more stars and give others the opportunity to become everything God has called them to be. May I never stop giving back. May I never stop growing. May my life remain a testimony, and may the way I live inspire others to believe, to dream and to keep going. Thank You, Lord. Happy birthday to me.
The timing of the birthday post did not sit well with some Nigerians, who argued that the actress should have been more sensitive to the mood of the industry following Ogogo’s death.
While Funke had earlier joined other celebrities in mourning the late actor, some social media users questioned why she proceeded with her birthday celebration while tributes and burial activities for Ogogo dominated conversations online.
One user, Ayofe, wrote: “Shey you no dey read the room no? Na birthday be the next thing to dey post?”
Another user, Olayinka Mujeeb Aden, accused the actress of being insensitive to the industry’s loss.
“Aunty Funke, shame on you! We are mourning the death of Ogogo. And you dey post about birthday. Omo, this is not fair.”
Another critic, identified as OAR Azeez, questioned why Akindele did not tone down or postpone her birthday celebration.
“Why you no shift your birthday to another day? You lost a prominent person in your industry, which comes to sober reflection. Remember that death is inevitable.”
Similarly, Kanel said that, in the same situation, they would have chosen to forgo the celebration.
“If I were you, Aunty Funke, I woulda forgo the celebration of my birth for the year. Today should be all about the passing of Ogogo. But we are not the same person. Happy birthday to you, and I wish you long life in good health.”
Another user, Constantinople, also criticised the actress, arguing that the death of a colleague and industry legend should have called for a more sober public mood.
“A colleague of yours just died even though you sent your condolences yesterday, and so? A colleague and a legend, but here u are posting a photo shoot coz you’re too hungry to post on ur birthday.”
Oriretan Honour was even more direct, describing the timing of Funke’s celebration as insensitive.
Also Read: What Ogun govt said about Ogogo
“Funke, celebrating birthday amidst Ogogo’s death is unwise, insensitive. People are mourning yet making joyful post. You went to the studio, did makeup, snapped, and posted when Ogogo’s death is trending.”
The criticism has since sparked a wider debate over whether Funke Akindele did anything wrong by celebrating her birthday despite the industry’s mourning.
While critics insist that the actress should have “read the room” and allowed the day to remain focused on the death and burial of Ogogo, others have argued that she had already publicly mourned the late actor and should not be expected to cancel or ignore her birthday.
The controversy has therefore divided opinions online, with some Nigerians questioning the timing of her celebration and others defending her right to mark another year of her life.
For now, however, what should have been a day dominated by birthday wishes for one of Nollywood’s biggest names has become an unexpected social media controversy, as Nigerians continue to debate whether Funke Akindele celebrated at the wrong time or whether the internet simply expects too much from celebrities.