Actress Yetunde Wunmi has shared a deeply emotional account of her early life, revealing how circumstances beyond her control pushed her away from formal education and into street trading at a very young age.
She explained that her upbringing began in her grandmother’s care until a family decision changed everything. Her aunt, who was unable to have children, visited and requested that she be allowed to take her along to Ibadan. The arrangement came with a promise that her education would be prioritized.
According to her, the promise was never fulfilled once she arrived in Ibadan. Instead of enrolling in school, she was introduced to daily street trading routines that consumed her childhood.
She recounted:
“Just because she doesn’t have children of her own, my Grandmother wanted to satisfy her, they asked me to go with her and my Grandmother warned her that she must send me to school, which my Aunty promised Sponsoring me”.
Her days quickly shifted into survival work rather than classroom learning. Morning hours were spent hawking bread, while evenings demanded yet another round of trading different items.
“On getting to ibadan, my Aunty went and bought Trays for me, if l hawk bread in the morning, l will hawk another thing in the evening”.
While other children her age progressed through school, she remained on the streets trying to earn a living, a reality she says shaped much of her later life.
She recalled the emotional confusion and desire to return home during that period, but life took another tragic turn when news reached her about her father’s passing.
“At a point l wanted to run back ti my dad, but l received a news that my father had kpai in our village”
With no immediate path back and no clear support system, she remained with her aunt and continued the life she had been placed into.
She revealed that the absence of formal education has remained a lingering regret, affecting opportunities she could have accessed in her career and personal growth. Even after marriage and stability, the memory still weighs heavily on her.
“Not until l got married, l have lost lots of Opportunities for not being educated, l weep each time l remember how l couldn’t go to school”
Follow Us on Facebook – @LadunLiadi; Instagram – @LadunLiadi; Twitter – @LadunLiadi; Youtube – @LadunLiadiTV for updates
