Toyo Baby Apologises To Funke Akindele Six Years After Claims She Served As Domestic Staff

No account yet? Register

Juliana Olayode, who had her big break in Nollywood with Funke Akindele’s Jenifa’s Diary where she played Toyo Baby, has apologised to Akindele over how their relationship hit the rock seven years ago.

In an Instagram post on Saturday, May 27, 2023, Olayode said she made some mistakes at the takeoff of her career that affected her relationship with Akindele. She, however, did not give details of the ‘goofs’.

Her apology is coming exactly seven years after she was taken off the Jenifa Diary series in May 2016.

In an Instagram post in June 2017 where she addressed speculations about her exit from the hit series that shot her into the limelight, Olayode acknowledged Akindele as her mentor and said that she couldn’t have been rude to her. Toyo Baby in the long post claimed that aside from being a cast on the series she also worked as an unofficial domestic staff to the Nollywood star.

Here’s the full text of her Instagram post:

As a teenager, my career in the mainstream entertainment industry started where many people who have put in years of hardwork could only dream of, how could a neophyte even start from the mainstream, if not for a miracle?

In my own case, the mercy of God and unmerited favour was evident, I broke into the industry by playing a friend and co lead with a screen goddess who had put in decades of hardwork and unprecedented creativity even as at that time.

God used Aunty Funke Akindele to put me into the limelight. It was a shocker for me, especially at that tender age, when I had barely left secondary school, the kind of fame I earned from playing Toyosi in Jenifa’s Diary was too enormous for my understanding.

However, the lack of industry nitty gritty started manifesting in me, coupled with the fact that I had a guardian (manager) who didn’t understand how the entertainment industry works, and I believed anything he feels and says.

My guardian sent an email to Scene One TV, the producers of the Sitcom, which entire content I wasn’t aware of until recently.

The story of my goofs at the take off of my career can not be exhausted in a million words, I want to use this opportunity to apologize to Aunty Funke Akindele, ọmọdé ò lè mọ ẹ̀kọ́ jẹ, kó má ra lọ́wọ́, I am incredibly sorry for how I hurt you and how the email that was sent hurt you.

Please forgive me for my childish mistakes of the past, I am deeply sorry for everything. I love you eternally Aunty Funke.

NB: I just feel the burden to make this official, it’s not an attempt for people to help me beg her, I have met Aunty Funke, she has forgiven me, she hugged me, prayed for me, cooked for me like she used to in those good old days, Jollof rice elemi meji, fried rice and sweet chicken.(lol)

I am her baby forever. She is such a sweet soul. The good days are back and you should probably anticipate . I love you all, thank you .