Nollywood actress Juliana Olayode, popularly known as Toyo Baby, has opened up about how she spent years praying for the restoration of her relationship with filmmaker Funke Akindele.
Speaking during an interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, the actress explained that her priority during their period of separation was mending their bond, not professional collaboration.
“I am so grateful to God. All those years, I just kept putting it in my prayer request. I don’t care if I don’t ever get to work with her again on her projects. What I want is to be able to go to her house, to be able to laugh with her, to be able to see her and greet her. It was just the relationship,” she said.
Olayode gained widespread recognition for her role as Toyosi in Jenifa’s Diary, a popular comedy series created by Akindele. Her character, fondly called Toyo Baby, quickly became a fan favourite and contributed significantly to the show’s early success.
Her sudden exit from the series, however, sparked years of speculation about a fallout between both actresses, as neither publicly addressed the situation at the time.
In late 2023, Olayode broke her silence in a detailed Instagram post, revealing that her inexperience and poor guidance from a former guardian—who also acted as her manager—played a role in the breakdown of their relationship. She disclosed that the guardian had sent an email to the show’s producers without her knowledge, which later caused tension.
Reflecting on that phase, she described her rise to fame as overwhelming, noting that she was unprepared for the attention and responsibilities that came with success shortly after secondary school.
She also issued a public apology to Akindele, accepting responsibility for her actions, which she described as “childish mistakes.”
“I am incredibly sorry for how I hurt you,” she wrote, adding that they had since reconciled privately.
Responding warmly, Akindele wrote, “My Juliana… I miss you… omo mi. I love you. See you soon.”
Their reconciliation has since translated into both personal and professional renewal, with Olayode reuniting with her mentor on set. She has featured in recent projects by Akindele, including A Tribe Called Judah and Everybody Loves Jenifa.