By Ayo Onikoyi
Nollywood actress Nancy Isime has candidly shared the challenges she faced during the early days of her career and the crucial support she received from singer Yemi Alade.
In a recent Instagram post featuring the two in matching outfits, Isime opened up about her experience as a 17-year-old usher and model working in Lagos. She revealed how difficult it was to get home to her family in Ikorodu after late-night jobs.
Nancy described the times she would sleep on makeshift beds made of joined chairs or event rugs when colleagues couldn’t accommodate her overnight. She wrote:
“I’ve told this story before and I’m sure Yemi is probably rolling her eyes right now but Yemi, I meant it when I said I’ll tell this story every chance I get,” she revealed.
She continued; “As I was saying. 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.”
She reflected on those gruelling years:
“The ages 17-19 was basically me struggling for a place to sleep when I work too late to go home. 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.”
The turning point came when Isime reached out to Yemi Alade, who she knew through a mutual friend, asking to stay at her off-campus apartment. She recounted:
“Now comes Yemi, who I had met through a mutual friend and had become an acquaintance. 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! Infact 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.”
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