Funke Akindele Speaks As Nollywood’s Black Market Sets Guinness World Records Milestone

• Nollywood's Black Market set a new Guinness World Record for the largest audience gathering for a movie screening
• More than 51,000 people packed Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos on Saturday night to watch the crime thriller
• Funke Akindele joined the celebration with a message for the cast after the historic milestone was confirmed

Nollywood has achieved a landmark the industry will not forget in a hurry, and box office favourite Funke Akindele was among the first to celebrate it.

A new Guinness World Record for the largest audience gathering for a movie screening was officially confirmed on Saturday night at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) in Lagos, where more than 51,000 people turned out to watch the crime thriller, Black Market.

A Guinness World Records official was present at the event to verify and announce the achievement.

FilmOne, the film's distributor, also put out a statement across its social media platforms confirming the milestone, writing:

"51,000+ people. One screen. One moment that just made history. We've officially set a WORLD RECORD for the Largest Audience Gathering Ever for a Movie Screening."

Black Market's Star-Studded Production

Black Market was produced by Rixel Studios, Signet Ring Studios and FilmOne Studios. Fatimah Binta Gimsay directed the film, with Nora Awolowo serving as producer.

The cast includes Omowunmi Dada, Lateef Adedimeji, Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman, Scarlet Gomez, Teniola Aladese, Susan Pwajok, Ibrahim Yekini (popularly known as Itele D Icon), and Uzor Arukwe, among others.

The story centres on five market women who find themselves entangled in a cross-border smuggling operation against a backdrop of fuel scarcity and economic hardship, themes that clearly resonated with tens of thousands of Nigerian viewers on the night.

Funke Akindele celebrates the milestone

When actress Omowunmi Dada took to X to share her excitement over the record-breaking achievement, Funke Akindele did not hold back her pride for the industry.

Responding to Dada's post, Akindele wrote: "Congratulations, dear. Nollywood to the world. 👍👍👍."

The reaction from Akindele, widely regarded as one of Nollywood's most commercially successful filmmakers, added significant weight to the celebration, reflecting how deeply the moment resonated across the industry.

See Funke Akindele's X post below:

Tobi Makinde addresses alleged feud with Funke Akindele

Legit.ng reported that Nollywood actor Tobi Makinde opened up about the alleged rift between him and his senior colleague, Funke Akindele.

In an interview with BBC Pidgin, Makinde addressed reports surrounding their relationship, particularly claims that Akindele was absent from his wedding. The actor explained what transpired between them and shed more light on the circumstances surrounding the actress’s reported absence.

His comments sparked reactions on social media, with fans and followers of both actors weighing in on the issue. While some expressed concern over the reported disagreement, others have called for caution in interpreting the actor’s remarks.