Actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele recently spoke about the significant impact Dbanj had on her career.
During the 2025 Media Sales Conference organized by the Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN) in Lagos, she revealed that Dbanj supported her financially when she was working on her popular show, “Jenifa,” in 2009.
Akindele admitted that she once considered ending the project, but Dbanj provided her with funds and motivation, encouraging her to continue pursuing her vision.
She said, “Nobody made me a star, only God. I wrote my script, and that was it. The first ‘Jenifa’ was released in 2009, which was the turning point.
“Amidst the buzz, a club owner reached out to host me at his club, and I met D’banj there.
“He asked what I was doing with the ‘Jenifa’ brand. I said, ‘I have moved on. I will do another thing.’ He said, ‘No. You have to milk it. It should not go like that. That’s a brand. Go and write another script.’ He gave me some money, and I went back and continued writing”.