Beautiful Story of How An Agege Bread Seller and Mother of Two Turned Model

When an ordinary Agege bread seller hawked down the road as she normally would, little did she know that she was walking into a scene designed to change her destiny that day.

While celebrity photographer, TY Bello was doing a photoshoot on a street in Lagos, the mysterious Agege bread seller just happened to be walking by and was captured in the shoot.

TY Bello wrote, “Every one has been asking if this lady is a model. It was just perfect coincidence. She just happened to be walking by while I photographed. It happened so fast. She definitely SHOULD be a model. I’m happy to help her build a portfolio if she’s interested. She’s so beautiful and photographed so well. I’ll find a way to track her down somehow.”

TY’s hunt was successful and the mysterious young woman was found. Her name is OLAJUMOKE ORISAGUNA, a 27-year-old mother of two.

T Bello writes: So I found her …our beauty from the @tiniegram shoot and boy have I got a fantastic story to share with you all. Right here is an amazing 27yr old mother of two , Jumoke Sunday with an incredible life story. I called on three amazing artists @bimpeonakoya for beautiful makeup .. @zubbydefinition for hair and @emaedosio to make a short documentary about her .. Every one gave a yes !on the spot . They were all at the studio within an hour and we had the most amazing shoot with her. I’ve also spoken to a few people about the best way to help move her forward and reunite her with her family . … The process has already begone and I’ll figure out the best way to have anyone who wants to be part of the journey. Meeting and photographing her has inspired us all and we can’t wait for the good that will come to her from all of this to unfold . She doesn’t speak English well but here, she was explaining how she found us. I had sent an assistant , as many of you advised ,to leave a message with the people in the area where we photographed her… So here she is .. #Olajumoke #tybellophotography #findingjumoke #thebeginning.”

To crown it all, Olajumoke just landed her first cover on Thisday Style.

TY Bello continues, “I’ve asked my self over and again why all of this is happening. One thing is clear, this woman here is no charity case. We met her in the middle of her hustle. The woman works hard, seven days a week. With a family to support but with dignity who pays that much attention to how she looks as she’s about to hawk bread. Arranging the bread so delicately like it was work much more, making sure she left the bakery while it was steamy and hot. Everybody likes their bread hot . All of this even when it’s clear that her profit in a day is between N300-500 .
Jumoke wants to be a hairstylists but secretly nurses a fantasy to act in a Yoruba film one day. I know she’ll be a hollywood hit. She did great in front of my camera and understood how to work the tiniest emotional nuances. She may not speak much English but can read and write in Yoruba,” she concludes.

A word of  advice to many Jumokes out there waiting for life changing opportunities. While waiting, do not sit down idly, engaged your hands. Jumoke was selling her Agege bread trying to make ends meet when she unknowingly walked into an opportunity if properly harnessed could change her life forever.