Juliana Olayode portrayed the beloved character Toyosi in Funke Akindele’s Jenifa Diary, leaving a lasting impression on the show’s fans. However, in 2017, the unexpected separation between Funke Akindele and Juliana Olayode left fans with a sense of heartbreak and numerous unanswered questions.
Recently, Juliana Olayode took to her Instagram and shared a heartfelt reflection on her rise to fame through playing the lead role in Funke Akindele’s movie. In a lengthy post, she sincerely apologized to Akindele for the events that transpired between them.
Olayode acknowledged how she experienced an overnight surge of fame and attributed it to God’s intervention through Akindele’s role in her career.
Reflecting on her past actions, Olayode recognized that her own ignorance had led her astray. She candidly disclosed that her manager had taken the initiative to send an email to Akindele’s production company without her consent, which contributed to the fallout between them.
Her heartfelt apology to Funke Akindele goes thus:
“As a teenager, my career in the mainstream entertainment industry started where many people, who have put in years of hard work, could only dream of. How could a neophyte even start from the mainstream, if not for a miracle?
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 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 felt and said.
My guardian sent an email to Scene One TV, the producers of the sitcom, which entire content I wasn’t aware of until recently.
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, and cooked for me as she used to in those good old days, Jollof rice elemi meji, fried rice and sweet chicken (lol)”
The best part was Funke Akindele writing back to Juliana. Funke Akindele took to the comment section and shared her sentiments about missing Juliana Olayode. Akindele openly expressed her deep affection for Olayode and assured her that their paths would cross again soon.
“My Juliana. I miss you. I will bite you. Omo mi. I love you. See you soon”, Akindele wrote.”
