By Ayomide Otitoju
Waris Akinwande Olayinka, popularly known as Ola of Lagos, has recounted the struggles and hardships he endured while earning ₦18,500 monthly before rising to prominence as a Nigerian social media influencer and luxury lifestyle personality.
Akinwande, who disclosed that he once slept under a bridge in Lagos, shared his experience during an interview on the Key-to-Keys Podcast.
He recalled taking up menial jobs, including doing laundry, washing clothes, scrubbing floors and cleaning houses in Lekki, to supplement his income and support himself and his family.
According to him, his monthly salary was barely enough to last until the next payday, prompting him to seek additional sources of income rather than depend on others.
He said he regularly trekked from Ikoyi to Lekki in search of wealthy residents who might offer him domestic jobs.
“So I’m like, okay, let me look for a side hustle, and I used to trek then from Ikoyi actually to Lekki, you know, looking for big men and big women to talk to and like, sir, ma, I can actually clean your house.”
How He Got the Name ‘Ola of Lagos’
Akinwande said his love for Lagos and the city’s infrastructure inspired the name “Ola of Lagos.”
He recalled that while trekking from Ikoyi to Lekki one day, he saw the Lekki Bridge and was inspired by the sight.
“So when I used to walk from Ikoyi to Lekki, one day I was walking, and I saw this Lekki Bridge, and I’m like, oh, I love Lagos, Ola of Lagos. So that is how the name Ola of Lagos came up.”
How Car Spotting Started
Akinwande also explained that becoming a car spotter was not part of his original plan, although his passion for exotic cars eventually led him into the activity.
He said he initially spotted luxury cars on his way home from work and recorded them with a basic mobile phone before later upgrading to a device capable of producing better videos.
“So I didn’t plan to become a car spotter. I started spotting cars out of passion.”
He said the excitement he expressed while spotting exotic vehicles eventually produced the catchphrase associated with him, “Oh my God, it’s plenty, stop playing.”
Akinwande said his journey to Lagos was driven by a determination to change his family’s circumstances and create a better future, despite having no relatives or established support network in the city.
“I need to make it out of my family. I’m not sure anybody else has really risen from my family. Yeah, so I’m like, no, no, no, I have to change this whole story.”
He said he subsequently left his hometown for Lagos in search of better opportunities.
From earning ₦18,500 a month and taking on menial jobs to becoming a prominent figure in Nigeria’s social media space, Akinwande’s story has become closely associated with his rise from humble beginnings.
Today, Ola of Lagos is known for showcasing exotic cars, luxury homes and high-end lifestyles to his social media audience.
