Kolawole Oluwasegun Ajeyemi is a Nigerian actor, film director, film producer, film writer and entrepreneur. He is widely known by his Stage name, Awilo, which is coined for him by his fellow Yoruba actors due to his dynamic performances. He grew up in Ogbomosho, a old city in Oyo State southwest Nigeria. He belongs to the Yoruba tribe, Nigerian nationality, and is a Christian in religion. His late father was a local musician and his mother a devout Christian. He went to Ogbomosho Grammar School and presently resides with his family in Lagos.
Age
Kolawole Ajeyemi was born on 17th January. His exact birth year is disputed in public records. In his 2022 interview with Nigerian Tribune, Ajeyemi made a very clear statement that he was born in 1979. Several celebrity sites list 1982 instead. Since he personally stated on the record that it was 1979, and he entered the industry in 1997, which fits 1979, 1979 is the more likely year. Kolawole Ajeyemi is 47 years old (as of November 2026). He will turn 48 on January 17, 2027. He’s a Capricorn.
Wife
Kolawole Ajeyemi is married to one of the most popular Nollywood celebrities, Toyin Abraham. Toyin Abraham Ajeyemi, nèe Aimakhu is her full name. Born on 5th September, 1982 in Edo State, Nigeria, she is an Edo State based actress, producer, director and filmmaker who is 44 years as of 2026. The couple’s relationship started around 2017 and lasted in secret for a time. On July 4, 2019, they had their traditional wedding ceremony in a colorful celebration, attracting a great deal of attention from the media. Ajeyemi is Toyin Abraham’s third husband. She was once married to actor Adeniyi Solanke from 2010 to 2011 and actor Adeniyi Johnson from 2014 to 2016. As of November 2026, the couple is still married. Rumors of a secret second wife surfaced online, but Toyin denied this publicly. In a recent interview in 2022, Ajeyemi has responded to speculations about his wife being a year older and richer than himself. He told us that he is older than her because he was born in 1979 and joined the industry in 1997 before her. He added that he doesn’t care if his wife has more money, as long as it isn’t prideful on their part. Toyin has spoken positively about him in recent interviews, saying that he is one of the best things that ever happened to her and that he is calm, prayerful and supportive.
Children
Kolawole Ajeyemi has two biological children, a daughter and a son. His first child is his daughter, Temitope Ajeyemi, from a previous relationship. She was born on September 15, 2004, and is 22 years old as of 2026. The identity of her mother has not been made public. Temitope has followed her father into entertainment and appeared in films such as Teminikan and My Parent. In 2022, she relocated to Canada for school. In October 2024, she graduated from a Canadian college, and both Kolawole and Toyin celebrated the milestone publicly. His second child is his son, Ireoluwa Ajeyemi, affectionately called Ire. Ire was born on August 15, 2019, to Kolawole and Toyin, just one month after their wedding. He is 7 years old as of November 2026. Ire has become a social media favorite, and both parents frequently share photos of him online.
Movies
Kolawole Ajeyemi has appeared in more than 60 to over 100 films, depending on the source, and has produced and directed many more. His acting career began in 1997 with church plays and school stage dramas. He trained under veteran Yoruba actor and filmmaker Segun Ogungbe, who mentored him into the profession, and also trained informally in Ilorin alongside actors such as Tunde Shobayo. His breakthrough came with Ijongbon, which he produced with Tunde Shobayo. Other well known films include Pemisire, Ibigiga, Sunday Dagboru, Eruku Nla, Buga, Soto Alapata, Alabe Oru, Orilowo, Onome Aganga, Tani Odaju, Kokoro, Jokinjo, Ekun Sumi, and Sunmibayo. In 2020 and 2021, he appeared in Dear Affy, Torera, Fate of Alakada, Jamal, Progressive Tailors Club, The Ghost and the Tout Too, Monday Osunbor, President Kuti, and Akanke Alata. The 2021 comedy Jamal is especially notable because Ajeyemi wrote, directed, and starred in it, and the film pulled over one million views on YouTube. In 2022 and 2023, he featured in Teminikan, Eyimofe, Just Perfect Murder, Scum, Jagun Jagun, Iyawo Buruku, Boomerang, Ata, Ijakumo: The Born Again Stripper, Malaika, Àkókò, and ÌGÈ: The Unlikely Oil Merchant. In 2024, he appeared in Alakada: Bad and Boujee as Cash, Seven Doors as King Adejuwon, Lisabi: The Uprising, My Upbringing, Perfect Imperfection, Atijo, Impatient, City Boy, Obi Mi, and Dolapo Douglas. In 2025, he starred in Wrong Intention as Feranmi and served as executive producer on After 30. As of 2026, his newer releases include Femiremi, King Kosoko: The Battle for Lagos, Ìrètè: The Reckoning, Agesinkole 2: King of Thieves, Abánisétè: The Ancestor, Ireke: Rise of the Maroons, Ìyálóde, and the historical epic Efunroye: The Unicorn, which premiered in Nigerian cinemas on May 1, 2026, alongside Faithia Williams, Odunlade Adekola, and Mercy Aigbe. As a director, his credits include Were Meta, Iwosi, Ajinigbe, Asiseko, Jamal, Scum, and Malaika, with more than 25 directing credits since 2010.
He hasn’t won a big award yet, but he has been nominated for Best New Actor of the Year (Yoruba) and Best Supporting Actor of the Year (Yoruba) at the City People Entertainment Awards. He also has a 2-track music EP called My Life that was released in October 2024, and has 1.8 million followers on Instagram.
Net Worth
Kolawole Ajeyemi’s estimated net worth is reported in the range of 200,000 to 500,000 US dollars, with most recent 2025 and 2026 estimates placing it between 300,000 and 400,000 US dollars, roughly 400 million to 600 million Naira. These are public estimates; not figures he confirmed himself. He has multiple sources of income. He has acted in over 60 to 100 films and has been a director and producer on over 25 films. He has a clothing and shoe business called Kolawole Clothings and Shoes. He owns a large farm and has talked about it in interviews. He is also the founder of the Aje Omo Aje School of Performing Arts, Abeokuta, Ogun State, where he trains young actors. In June 2019 he allegedly acquired a luxurious mansion and resides in Lagos with his family, while his assets remain undisclosed and he drives good cars. He often says his wife Toyin Abraham is wealthier than he is, and he has stated he has no problem with that. Her personal net worth ranges between 1 million and 7 million USD, according to different sources. Together, they are considered one of the most successful couples in Nollywood.
Career
Kolawole Ajeyemi’s career spans nearly three decades. Inspired by the actors he saw on TV and his musician father, he began acting in church and school stage productions in 1997. The same year, he joined the professional industry under Segun Ogungbe. In the early years, he built his name in the Abeokuta film scene, appearing in dozens of Yoruba films. He branched out into directing around 2010 and into producing shortly thereafter. His film Ijongbon gave him his big break and made him a household name in Yoruba cinema. Since then, he has acted in over 60 to 100 films, directed more than 25, and produced many others. His stage name Awilo comes from his dynamic, energetic performances. In July 2019, he got married to Toyin Abraham, which gave him a wider exposure in the public sphere beyond the Yoruba film industry. Beyond film, he is an entrepreneur. He is the owner of the Aje Omo Aje School of Performing Arts where he train young actors, Kolawole Clothings and Shoes fashion line and owns large farm. He also got his music career started in October 2024 when he released his My Life EP. He was executive producer for After 30 in 2025. He is still featured in big productions in 2026 such as the cinema epic Efunroye: The Unicorn, which premiered on May 1, 2026. He has been nominated at the City People Entertainment Awards for Best New Actor of the Year (Yoruba) and Best Supporting Actor of the Year (Yoruba). Throughout his career he has spoken publicly about his values. He is from a Christian Muslim family and has admitted he’d like a happy family, a happy childhood and a peaceful marriage. He does not want his wife’s success to diminish, and is proud of the work he does himself. To date, Kolawole Ajeyemi is still an active actor, director, producer, entrepreneur, farmer and recording artist in Nollywood, and is still one of the most popular Yoruba faces in cinema.
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