In a heartfelt episode of Talk to B podcast with Biola Bayo, actress Temitope Solaja, popularly known as Aruga, peeled back the layers of her life before fame. From growing up without her parents to developing a childhood crush on legendary Yoruba actor, Taiwo Hassan “Ogogo.”
Temitope recounted how she was born to teenage parents who were still in secondary school at the time. With her parents busy focusing on their education, she was raised by her loving grandmother. “She spoiled me,” Temitope said with a smile, reminiscing about buying chewing gum and sweets while sitting outside the house as a carefree child.
Her close bond with her grandma filled the parenting gap until she was reunited with her mother in JSS3.
Despite the early detachment from her parents, Temitope thrived in school. She was the cultural dance leader, head girl, and even “Miss Literature” in her debating society. Her vibrant personality and bold presence stood out. “I was small but mighty,” she quipped.
Temitope however revealed she had big dreams. From standing in front of mirrors acting out scenes, to whispering affirmations to herself, her love for performance was deep-rooted. And while speaking on her childhood fascinations, she shyly confessed to having a massive crush on veteran actor Taiwo Hassan, better known as Ogogo. She said with a laugh:
“Back then Ogogo was my crush, I loved seeing him in movies. That was the time of Owo Blow.”
Interestingly, Temitope also revealed that she was a virgin when she began acting, a detail she shared to emphasize how young and innocent she was when she joined the industry. She said:
“I started acting when I was very young. I was a virgin then. I was so small.
My mom was happy for me. I’m the only child of my dad, and she knows I know what I’m doing. Nobody has to dictate to me what to do or how to do it. As long as I’m doing it right, I’m okay.”
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