Funke Akindele Breaks Silence After Backlash Over Birthday Post
Nollywood actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has broken her silence following criticism over her 49th birthday celebration, which coincided with the burial of veteran actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo.
Akindele turned 49 on Monday, August 24, 2026, and marked the occasion with a birthday post on Instagram expressing gratitude to God for another year and praying for a life that would inspire others.
“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,” Akindele wrote.
“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,” she added.
Her post, however, attracted criticism because Monday, August 24 was also the day Hassan was laid to rest in Ilaro, Ogun State, following his death on Sunday, August 23, at the age of 66.
The timing prompted some social media users to accuse Akindele of failing to show sufficient sensitivity to the mood of the Yoruba film industry, which was mourning the veteran actor.
One X user, Adewale, questioned the decision to celebrate publicly on the day of Hassan’s burial, asking, “Don’t you read the room?” while describing the situation as lacking humanity.
Another user, Olayinka Mujeeb , criticised the post, writing, “Aunty Funke.. shame on you! We are mourning the death of Ogogo…. And you Dey post about birthday.”
Some critics, however, acknowledged that Akindele had the right to celebrate her birthday but argued that the timing and manner of the celebration could have been handled with greater restraint.
One commenter said celebrating was not necessarily wrong but described the public birthday post as insensitive because it came immediately after Hassan’s death and on the day of his burial.
The backlash was not unanimous, as other social media users defended Akindele and argued that Hassan’s death should not require everyone whose personal milestone fell on the same day to suspend their lives.
One supporter said people could mourn Hassan while Akindele celebrated her birthday, stressing that grief and personal celebrations could exist at the same time.
Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, died on Sunday, August 23, 2026, after reportedly battling stage-four cancer, bringing an end to a career that spanned more than four decades in the Nigerian film industry.
His remains were buried in Ilaro on Monday, August 24, according to Islamic rites, with family members, colleagues and sympathisers gathering to pay their final respects.
As the criticism continued, Akindele returned to social media on Wednesday, August 26, to thank those who celebrated her and showed her love on her birthday.
In the message, she expressed appreciation for the prayers, messages, calls and goodwill she received without directly addressing the controversy surrounding her birthday post.
“I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for every prayer, every message, every call and all the love you showed me,” Akindele said.
“I felt it all, and I truly appreciate you.”
“God bless you, and may you always have beautiful reasons to celebrate.”
She concluded, “Thank you so much for making my birthday even more special.”
Her response has been interpreted as a reaction to the controversy, although she did not expressly apologise for the birthday post or directly address those who criticised her.
The controversy has consequently shifted attention from Akindele’s birthday celebration to the broader debate over how public figures should balance personal milestones with moments of mourning within the entertainment industry.
For now, Akindele’s August 26 message remains her clearest public response to the criticism, with the actress choosing to focus on appreciation for those who celebrated her rather than engaging directly with the backlash.
