Funke Akindele Faces Backlash Over Birthday Post on Ogogo’s Burial Day

Nollywood actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has come under criticism on social media after celebrating her birthday on Monday, August 24, the same day veteran Yoruba actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, was laid to rest.

Akindele, who turned 49 on Monday, took to Instagram to express gratitude to God for another year and to reflect on her life, purpose and impact.

In her birthday message, the actress thanked God for all He had done, was doing and would yet do in her life. She also prayed for good health, long life and the grace to continue making a positive impact on others.

Her post, however, attracted criticism from some social media users because it came on the day the Nigerian entertainment industry was mourning the death of Ogogo, who died just a day earlier.

Ogogo’s sudden death

Taiwo Hassan died at about 3 p.m. on Sunday, August 23, 2026, at the age of 66, according to a death announcement made by fellow veteran actor Jide Kosoko.

His death came shortly after members of his family had publicly revealed the seriousness of his health condition. Reports said the veteran actor had been battling stage-four cancer.

Following his death, arrangements were quickly made for his remains to be taken to his hometown, Ilaro, Ogun State, where he was buried according to Islamic rites on Monday.

The burial was held at the Pavilion in Ilaro, with family members, friends, colleagues and fans gathering to pay their final respects.

Several prominent figures in the Yoruba film industry attended the funeral, including Jide Kosoko, Yinka Quadri, Faithia Balogun, Femi Adebayo, Mr Latin, Ireti Osayemi, Toyosi Adesanya and Bisi Omo Logbalogba.

The funeral was marked by grief and emotional tributes as colleagues remembered Ogogo’s decades-long contribution to Yoruba cinema. Yinka Quadri, one of his longtime colleagues and friends, was reportedly overcome with emotion during the funeral.

Why Funke Akindele was criticised

Against the backdrop of Ogogo’s burial, Akindele’s birthday post did not sit well with some Nigerians online.

Some critics argued that, considering Ogogo’s seniority and longstanding position in the Yoruba film industry, Akindele should have shown greater restraint or postponed her public birthday celebration until after the burial.

One social media user accused the actress of failing to “read the room,” arguing that the entertainment industry was still grieving the death of a senior colleague.

Another user described the birthday post as insensitive, saying that while Akindele had every right to celebrate her life, the timing of the public celebration was what raised concerns.

Others similarly argued that celebrities and other public figures should be conscious of how their social media activities may be perceived during sensitive moments, particularly when a respected member of their industry has just died.

The criticism was not necessarily focused on Akindele’s birthday itself. Rather, many of those who criticised her said they took issue with the timing and tone of celebrating publicly on the same day Ogogo was being buried.

Supporters defend the actress

However, the backlash was not universal.

Several social media users defended Akindele, arguing that it would be unreasonable to expect her to suspend her birthday simply because another person had died.

Some pointed out that Akindele’s birthday was a personal milestone and that celebrating her own life did not automatically mean she was disrespecting Ogogo or his family.

Others argued that people can mourn one person’s death while simultaneously celebrating another person’s life, insisting that grief does not require everyone to stop their normal activities.

One supporter argued that many Nigerians continued going to work, eating, travelling and carrying on with their daily lives despite Ogogo’s death, and questioned why Akindele should be singled out for acknowledging her birthday.

Another social media user described the criticism as an attempt to police how people respond to death, arguing that mourning is personal and that a person’s birthday is also personal.

The debate therefore became broader than Funke Akindele’s birthday post, with Nigerians discussing the expectations placed on celebrities when personal celebrations coincide with national or industry mourning.

A question of timing and sensitivity

The controversy has highlighted an increasingly familiar issue surrounding celebrity culture and social media: whether public figures should modify their personal celebrations when they coincide with major events involving colleagues or other public figures.

For critics of Akindele, the issue is one of emotional intelligence and respect. They believe that, given her position as one of Nollywood’s most prominent actresses and filmmakers, she could have chosen to keep her celebration low-key until after Ogogo’s burial.

For her defenders, however, the criticism goes too far. They argue that there was no evidence that Akindele intended to disrespect Ogogo, and that celebrating her birthday does not diminish the significance of his death.

There has also been no indication that Akindele’s birthday message was directed at Ogogo or intended as a response to his death.

Ogogo’s legacy

Ogogo was one of the most recognisable figures in Yoruba-language cinema and spent several decades contributing to the Nigerian film industry.

His death has triggered tributes from colleagues, government officials, fans and members of the wider entertainment community.

The Ogun State Government also expressed sadness over his death, describing the actor’s passing as a major loss to the state and Nigeria’s creative industry.

His burial in Ilaro on Monday brought together generations of actors and industry personalities who came to honour a man regarded as an important figure in the development of Yoruba cinema.

The debate continues

As tributes continue to pour in for Ogogo, the controversy surrounding Funke Akindele’s birthday post continues to generate discussion online.

For some Nigerians, the timing of the post was inappropriate and demonstrated a lack of sensitivity to the mood of the entertainment industry.

For others, the actress did nothing wrong and should be allowed to celebrate another year of life without being accused of disrespecting someone who had passed away.

Ultimately, the debate reflects two different views of public mourning: one that expects people, particularly public figures, to observe restraint during moments of collective grief, and another that believes personal milestones should continue regardless of what is happening around them.

What remains clear is that Ogogo’s death has left a significant void in the Yoruba film industry, while Funke Akindele’s birthday celebration has unexpectedly become part of the wider conversation about grief, respect and social media etiquette in Nigeria.