Kemi honored her son's milestone with heartfelt notes and cherished photos, showing her pride in his ambitions. Meanwhile, Olukayode shared on social media the hardships he's encountered, offering a candid look at his journey in the past year.
In a moving post, he recounted his struggles since arriving in the United States, sharing feelings of isolation and mistreatment from his extended family. He explained the stark gap between their anticipated success and his real-life experiences, offering a candid look at the hardships of adjusting to a new culture.
Olukayode also acknowledged his mother’s unwavering help during these trying times with deep appreciation.
His truthful reflections have inspired dialogue around the complexities of family interactions, cultural transition, and the obstacles many encounter when establishing themselves in an unfamiliar land.
He wrote: "Happy Birthday to me and to being in America for 1 year already. I’m getting closer to my mid-20s, and it’s haunting me because I feel alone in this world, and I feel like time is running out. Coming back to a country I haven’t lived in for 11 years all by myself to restart my life from all the abuse and depression I went through in Nigeria with only my mom by my side. Being here alone with no support system has been hard. No parents, friends, or family to support, but I’ve made the most of it myself. I’ve been homeless countless times, lost numerous jobs, had accidents, and experienced people stealing from me at my lowest. I was kicked out because it was clear I wasn’t wanted there, then stayed with abusive people who treated me like subhuman—all in the name of favor. I had a car accident and lost my first car to a reckless driver, went to court for the first time because I didn’t have insurance and was a new driver, slept outside, and in my car while working three jobs and trying to pursue a career in modeling. Everything I went through made me stray a bit from God, but I’m writing this as something to look back on when everything eventually gets better and also because people only see the good moments on social media. Hopefully, I can write a book on everything I’ve experienced so far in America. Thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes, and cheers to 23. Let me stop yapping now; I just wanted to get that off my chest.”
