A Tribe Called Judah: Tinubu lauds Funke Akindele on N1Bn box-office record

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Funke Akindele on her record-
setting film ‘A Tribe Called Judah’, which broke a box office record within
21 days of its release in cinemas to become the first Nollywood film to gross
N1 billion and commended the ace thespian for her contributions to the
growth of the industry.
In a statement issued by Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri
Ngelale, President Tinubu also celebrated the ingenuity, creativity, and
immense artistic talents of Nigeria’s thriving entertainment industry.
He extolled the excellence of the Nigerian creative industry, acknowledging
its pivotal place as a medium not only for artistic expression but also a
source of enormous soft power and viable export.
“The creative industry is one of the high-employment sectors, providing jobs
for our able and talented youths. It is an industry that is crucial to my
administration. I salute Nigerians for their enduring support and patronage of
homegrown creative efforts. We will provide the conducive environment for
the industry to thrive further,” President Tinubu stated.
On December 15, 2023, according to News Agency of Nigeria, the movie
has continued to break records, becoming the first to gross over N133
million in its opening weekend. It became the highest-grossing Nollywood
film for the year 2023 after grossing over N613 millions within the first 14
days of its release.
The film earlier made history on January 2, as it emerged as the highest-
grossing Nollywood film ever with a reported N854 million at the box office
within 18 days in cinemas.
This feat has surpassed Akindele’s previous films ‘Battle on Buka Street’
(N668.4 million), and ’Omo Ghetto’ (N636.1 million) which currently sits as
the second and third highest grossing films at the Nigerian box office
respectively.