"I Begged for Food After My Popularity Waned’ Says Jumoke Orisaguna, Agege Bread Seller Turned Celebrity , Narrates Her Domestic Abuse Experience

By: Olufemi Orunsola 

In a twist of fate that can be aptly captured as the take of the rise of a street bread seller to the corridors of fame and fortunes turned sour, Olajumoke Orisaguna, the Lagos bread seller, who rose to fame in 2016 after being discovered by renowned photographer, TY Bello, has made shocking confessions about a bitter experiences and grace to grass story, noting that she actually begged for food after she suffered significant losses and setbacks. 

OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports that Jumoke Orisaguna, popularly known as Jumoke Oniburedi, sprang into national fame and instant fortunes, when Ty Bello spotted her during a photo shoot while she was selling bread on the streets of Lagos and saw her potential as a model.

Jumoke's story of rising from grass to grace became a media sensation, featuring her on magazine covers, radio and television stations, inspiring countless Nigerians struggling on the streets that fortune can still smile at them too. 

Unfortunately, her journey took a downward turn four years ago when she lost her fame, wealth, and public relevance after falling victim to fraud allegedly orchestrated by her former manager.

Jumoke, recently revealed that she was deceived by the manager, who siphoned her money made through endorsement deals and other business engagements.

Orisaguna made this known during a meet-and-greet event titled The Comeback of Olajumoke (Oni Bredi), hosted by Cardinal Foundation, where she recounted her surreal ordeal.

According to her, “I really suffered and lost everything. She took me to South Africa twice for a documentary, but I had to pay for our flights and accommodation. When we returned to Nigeria, she only gave me N50,000. I had no money, nothing. I lost everything. I started calling people for food. It was Aunty Azuka and TY Bello who came to my rescue.

She further added that, "Aunty Azuka paid my rent, furnished a shop for me, and regularly sent me foodstuffs and money to take care of my daughters. It was that bad."

“I have learned my lessons, and I will never leave those who truly mean well to me again.”

Jumoke expressed gratitude to the CEO of Media Room Hub, Azuka Ogujiuba, TY Bello, and Mrs Adedoja Allen, who supported her during those challenging times.

Despite her strained relationship with Ogujiuba, whom her former manager had allegedly alienated her from, Ogujiuba provided financial assistance for food and rent.

“Aunty Azuka and TY Bello really helped me. Whenever I called Azuka for help, she would provide it, even when she didn’t have much—her daughter would step in. TY Bello also assisted me financially. I am so grateful to these two women; they were my saving grace.”

To help Jumoke rebuild her life, Ogujiuba approached the CEO of City FM and founder of Cardinal Foundation, an initiative of Cardinal Broadcasting, Mrs Adedoja Allen, to offer her an opportunity in broadcasting.

Ogujiuba recounted how she involved the police to arrest Jumoke’s former manager, who had defrauded her but the case yielded no significant outcome as the manager was released and failed to honour subsequent police invitations.

Earlier, Jumoke Orisaguna had opened up that she had suffered a terrible experience of domestic abuse and violence with her husband. 

Speaking during an interview with City FM, she stated that her ex-husband, Sunday Orisaguna, also ruined her career.

She traced the origins of her travails to her abusive and toxic marriage. 

“We stayed in my husband’s family house at Ire in Osun State and there is no way you stay in such a place that you would not encounter problems.

“My mother in-law was very hostile towards me and I would have to close my hairdressing shop on time just to go and make dinner at home.

“And it was whatever she told her son that he listens to. He would not hear my own side of the story before beating me. Whenever I had misunderstanding with his mother, he would beat me to the extent that my face and body would be swollen. Sometimes he would even use a belt.

I would hide what was happening because I didn’t want my mother to hear. She also lived within the same vicinity.

“Before if I report to her, she will say she didn’t give me out in marriage to anyone. Even my mom’s sister was against me marrying him, as she had lived longer in Ire than me, so she knew what she was saying. But there was nothing anyone could do when the pregnancy issue happened.

“So my mum will tell me she did not bless any marriage and she cannot also ask me to leave there, so she did not involve herself in the issue.

“Only those who lived with us knew about the beating. I didn’t tell anyone.

“Fast forward to January 2016 when I wanted to move to Lagos, we were frying akara for his dad’s remembrance when I had an issue with his elder sister.

As usual, he beat me up and I decided that I was going to leave, move to Lagos, and start working at the bakery because I had been there before. The third day after that incident, I packed my load and brought my two children with me to Lagos because I couldn’t leave them there.

Getting to the bakery, I had to explain to my friend what happened and she was happy that I had finally left because she was part of the people that warned me about him.

“I was enduring all of it. He didn’t have a job. I was the one going out to hustle. It has been almost four years since we separated. Everything started going down the drain after separation because he started spoiling my name. Since then, things started going down".