Ace Nollywood producer, Funke Akindele has shared details of the numerous jobs she did to support herself as a student at the University of Lagos, including a painful experience when a dissatisfied customer slapped her over a nail job.
Speaking in a recent interview with Bella Naija, the award-winning actress and filmmaker said she ventured into nail-making after teaching herself the craft by observing others at Yaba.
“When I was in the University of Lagos, I used to make nails. I made nails for a girl one day, and she slapped me because they were rubbish. I learnt from watching people make nails at Yaba. I will buy them, stay in the corridor, and ask people to come and get their nails done,” she said.
Akindele explained that nail-making was only one of several businesses she ran while studying. She also sold cakes, worked as a makeup artist, designed costumes and sourced filming locations to earn a living.
“I was selling cakes. Bimpe Onakoya, the talented makeup artist, was buying cakes from me. She would make-up for me. I learnt from people making hair. I did make-up. I did costuming. I used to costume Aunty Bukky Wright. Even Iyabo Ojo then. I will go to Yaba and buy costumes and iron them,” she said.
The actress added that she also worked behind the scenes in the film industry as a location manager and even found unconventional ways to generate income while on campus.
“I was a location manager. I will go to houses and knock. If they pay the owner N100,000, I can take 30 and pay the person 70. I sold bed space in UNILAG so I could survive. I am a hustler. That is why I am firm. Life taught me, and I cannot do otherwise.”
