Box office filmmaker, Funke Akindele recounts how the veteran singer, D’banj inspired her to continue with her popular Jenifa brand.
Speaking at Dbanj’s 20th anniversary in the entertainment industry, the award-winning actress revealed that the singer encouraged her to keep the brand alive.
She shared how she ran into D’banj at a club for the first time, where he asked if she was working on more sequels to Jenifa, which he loved.
He was surprised when she said Jenifa was already concluded and emphasized that Jenifa was a lucrative brand that must continue to develop.
To show his support, D’banj gifted her money to work on more sequels, which led to the creation of “The Return of Jenifa.”
Funke Akindele on how D’Banj inspired Jenifa brand
“After the big break with Jenifa, everybody loved Jenifa so much, I was out there and everyone was celebrating me so much. I was invited to a club where I met Dbanj for the first time and he gave me his number and inquired if there is a sequence to Jenifa, I told him No and he questioned why as he noted how Jenifa is a brand I can feast on for the rest of my life.
“He told me that when I have a brand, you feed on the brand, you milk the brand very well and make money out of it. Out of his pocket, he gave me money and said I should go write another Jenifa and he supports me with the money”.
“Dbanj you’re more than just a musician, you’re a movement! Your music has brought joy to our hearts, and your legacy will live on forever”.
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