Nollywood star Nancy Isime has opened up about the hardships she faced in the early years of her career and how singer Yemi Alade played a vital role during that period.
In a heartfelt Instagram post on Wednesday, Isime shared a throwback of their bond alongside coordinated photos of both women, recounting how difficult life was when she worked as a teenage model and usher in Lagos.
The 33-year-old actress revealed that at just 17, she often had no way to get home after long work shifts, as her family lived in Ikorodu while most of her jobs were in central Lagos.
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“I’ve told this story before and I’m sure Yemi is probably rolling her eyes right now,” she began.
“But Yemi, I meant it when I said I’ll tell this story every chance I get.”
Isime painted a vivid picture of how she often had to sleep on makeshift beds or even the floor at event venues when she couldn’t find transportation or a place to stay.
“As a lot of you might already know, I started working at 17 and as an usher/model whose parents lived all the way in Ikorodu while most of her jobs were in town, it was difficult to go home most days when we closed too late for me to find a bus or bike to take me home.
“I’d have to ask any of my co-workers then if it was okay to crash at theirs till morning, and when there’s enough people staying back with me at the venue, I’d sleep on chairs joined together or the ground/rugged area till it was bright enough to get a bus home.
“The ages 17–19 was basically me struggling for a place to sleep when I work too late to go home.”
Sometimes, she said, she would risk making the long journey back to Ikorodu in the early hours.
“Sometimes I’d brave it back home to Ikorodu at 2/3am in the morning, trekking with my koin koin shoe with my dad worried, calling me every 3 minutes, and my brothers in the streets trying to meet up with me. Let’s just say I’m destined to live long.”
“Yes, my family were worried especially my dad, but I am a dangerous girl and it’s best to let me figure out life my way, else!
“The rebellion is quite rebellious I must confess. I’m a full-blooded Esan woman, our stubbornness is from above.”
Isime said a turning point came when she reached out to Yemi Alade—then a budding singer and acquaintance—asking for a place to crash.
“I asked her over the phone one day if it was okay to stay at her off-campus accommodation for a bit and she immediately said Yes!
“Fam, I stayed for weeks and this woman NEVER EVER complained! In fact, the peace was too much, I had to leave when I wasn’t ready to.
“Shortly after, I could afford my own space in her building as I gained uni admission and the friendship and kindness continued. Yemi becoming my kind neighbor. My padi, I dey you for life.”
Both women were students at the University of Lagos, with Isime studying Social Work and Alade pursuing a degree in Geography.
Nancy Isime first stepped into the limelight in 2009 after winning the Miss Valentine International Beauty Pageant. Two years later, she debuted as an actress in the TV series Echoes and has since featured in several notable Nollywood films, including The Set Up 2 and Shanty Town.
She is also widely recognized for her television hosting work and has received numerous awards for her contributions to entertainment.
Yemi Alade, on the other hand, shot to fame in 2014 with the release of her hit single Johnny, and has since remained one of Africa’s most prominent female artists.
Tragedy in Ogun as Vehicle Rams Into Schoolchildren, Kills Four
A tragic accident on Wednesday afternoon claimed the lives of four people, including schoolchildren, at Sowo Village along the Abeokuta-Sagamu Expressway in Ogun State.
The incident occurred around 3 p.m. when a vehicle reportedly lost control and rammed into pupils walking home from school by the roadside.
