Toyin Afolayan is a 64 year-old Nollywood actress who was born on 24 September 1959. Also known as Lola Idije, Toyin has been on the screens since the 1980s alongside her cousin Adeyemi “Adelove” Afolayan. She is famous for her roles in movies like Anikulapo (2022), Irapada (2006), and Deadly Affair (1995), among others.
Apart from the mark she has made herself, she belongs to one of the most prominent families in Nollywood, The Afolayan family. Toyin juggles as a single parent to her children and also plays the role of an aunt to Kunle Afolayan, Gabriel Afolayan, Moji Afolayan, and Aremu Afolayan. Here is more about the actress that is worth knowing.
Summary of Toyin Afolayan’s Biography
- Full name: Toyin Afolayan
- Nickname: Lola Idije
- Gender: Female
- Date of birth: 24 September 1959
- Toyin Afolayan’s Age: 64 years old
- Ethnicity: Yoruba
- Nationality: Nigerian
- Zodiac Sign: Libra
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Religion: Christianity
- Marital Status: Married (Widowed)
- Toyin Afolayan’s Children: 2 (Temitope Aduke and Okikiola Adetoun)
- Toyin Afolayan’s Parents: Mr & Mrs Afolayan
- Siblings: Chief Adeyemi Josiah Afolayan
- Toyin Afolayan’s Net worth: $1 million (estimated)
- Famous for: Acting
- Toyin Afolayan’s Instagram: @lola_idije1959
Toyin Afolayan’s Age
Toyin Afolayan, also known by her stage name Lola Ideji, is 64 years old, as she was born on 24 September 1959. She hails from the famous Afolayan family of Agbamu, Kwara State, North Central Nigeria.
Due to her young looks, Toyin is mostly mistaken as one of the Afolayan siblings. However, she is the younger sister of the late renowned Nigerian actor, producer, and director, Adeyemi Josiah Afolayan, who died in 1996.
Lola Ideji is also an aunt to filmmakers and actors like Kunle Afolayan, Gabriel Afolayan, Moji Afolayan, and Aremu Afolayan.
The actress attended different schools while growing up but has kept details about it private. Another thing she has kept private is details about her parents.
Not much is known about her educational background and about her parents.
Is Toyin Afolayan Related to Kunle Afolayan?
Toyin Afolayan is Kunle Afolayan’s aunt. She was one of the closest siblings of the actor’s father, Adelove Afolayan. Toyin shared that she has a good relationship with her brother’s son, as well as his siblings. She also has a good connection with Kunle’s step-siblings, from his father’s marriage to more than 10 wives.
Apart from Kunle, an award-winning Nigerian actor, producer, and director, and Toyin’s family ties, the two have also shared the same stage. They have appeared in Irapada (2016), and Toyin also featured in one of Kunle’s most renowned films, Anikulapo (2022).
Other Actors Toyin Afolayan is Related to
As they say, home is where the heart is. The Afolayans have managed to create their home in the Nollywood industry and also helped one another to get to success.
Despite not having any child in the movie industry, she is not lacking in having her family closely within the entertainment industry. As stated earlier, Kunle Afolayan is not the only one in the family who is active in the industry. Other members of the Afolayan family who are in the entertainment industry include Moji Afolayan, Gabriel Afolayan, Aremu Afolayan, and Eyiyemi Kunle Afolayan.
Toyin Afolayan’s Career and How She Got the Name “Lola Idije”
The veteran actress has been in the acting scenes for over 3 decades. As a thriving businesswoman and a wife in the 1980s, Toyin Afolayan never saw acting as an option or career choice.
This was until her brother, Adeyemi Afolayan, who was already into filmmaking as a producer and director, insisted she joined acting as there was a future in it.
One would not say Toyin Afolayan was thrilled to leave her business for acting from the beginning. In fact, the actress acknowledged that she was not interested at the beginning of her acting career, and it took other actors like Timothy Olusola Isola Ogunsola (I Show Pepper) and Baba Omoloja to reconcile her to her fate in acting.
Toyin got her first role in acting from a television series she featured in called Nkan Mi. Her role in the series set her on a pedestal of success and her connection to the respected movie maker. Shortly after her acting kickstarted, she earned the name Lola Idije from Muyideen Aromire’s movie Obinrin Asiko.
The name “Lola Idije” came from her role in the movie where she played the role of Lola, a cunning woman who took money from men and simply declared in Yoruba, “Idi tije, Idije” which means “Competition” or the “Reason for Competition.”
Over the years, she has acted with stars in the industry, such as Sola Sobolwale, Kunle Remi, Bimbo Ademoye, Bisola Aiyeola, Lateef Adedimeji, Murphy Afolabi, Eniola Ajao, Toyin Alausa and more.
Toyin Afolayan’s Movies and TV Shows
Since her debut in acting, Toyin Afolayan has acted in notable movies and TV series, such as:
- Rising City of Dreams (2022)
- Anikulapo (2022)
- Deja Vu (2022)
- Olokiki Oru: The Midnight Sensation (2019)
- Glimpse (2017)
- Suicide (2017)
- Elewon (2009)
- Ise Onise (2009)
- Ile Oko (2009)
- Aje Metta (2008)
- Taiwo Taiwo (2008)
- Baba Eleshin (2008)
- Atanpako Otun (2007)
- Idunnu mi (2007)
- Aridunnu Oko (2007)
- Etan (2007)
- Omodara (2007)
- Abiamo Tooto (2007)
- Iyawo Asiko (2006)
- Osuwon Eda (2006)
- Ologbon Meji (2006)
- Iku Lopin (2006)
- Irapada (2006)
- Idajo Iboji (2006)
- Eje Adegbenro (2006)
- Botife (2004)
- Ajoke Point One (2004)
- Suku Suku Bam Bam (2004)
- Ayomida (2003)
- Deadly Affair (1995)
Who Is Toyin Afolayan’s Husband?
Toyin Afolayan was married but has not disclosed her husband’s identity. Nevertheless, he died many years ago. Although she was already growing her career at the time, it was a huge blow for the actress since she also lost her brother, whom she had looked up to years before.
Since the death of her husband, Toyin Afolayan has not remarried, and as she claims, it is because of her children. The actress alleged that she was wary of getting married again after her husband’s death for fear of being told to eventually abandon her children by her new spouse.
Toyin, nevertheless, has not been linked romantically to anyone in the industry and out of it over the years since she lost the father of her three children.
Toyin Afolayan’s Children
Toyin Afolayan is currently a mother of two daughters, even though she gave birth to three children. She lost her only son shortly after his birth. The children were born to her from her union with her late husband.
Before she began acting in the 1980s, Lola Idije was already married and had her first 2 children. In addition to having her own children, she became a grandmother for the first time in 2016. She also has numerous nieces and nephews, and the most popular are Kunle Afolayan, Gabriel Afolayan, Moji Afolayan, and Aremu Afolayan.
Toyin Afolayan’s Daughters
After losing her husband young in marriage, Toyin Afolayan was left to care for her two daughters. They are Temitope Aduke and Okikiola Adetoun.
On 15 June 2016, Toyin Afolayan’s first daughter, Temitope Aduke, got married and currently has two children. She was born on 11 July in the 1980s before Toyin Afolayan began her acting career.
Her second daughter, Okikiola Adetoun, was born on 1 March. She is in her 30s and belongs to the corporate world, unlike her mother, who is in the entertainment industry.