For many Londoners, she is the cheerful woman whose silent TikTok clips have become a familiar part of the city’s digital landscape.
For Nigerians, she is the aunty abroad who turned a simple daily routine into global recognition. At 56, Nigerian-born mental health nurse, Bemi Orojuogun, better known online as “Bus Aunty,” has become one of the most unlikely breakout stars of the UK content scene.
Her latest appearance in Spotify’s UK Wrapped 2025 campaign has now pushed her even further into mainstream spotlight.
Orojuogun, who hails from Ilaje in Ondo State, moved to the United Kingdom in the early 1990s. Before TikTok fame and brand campaigns, she lived a quiet life as a mental health nurse, a job she still proudly maintains.
Yet her love for London’s iconic red buses has always been part of her identity. She often jokes that long before social media existed, she was already posing with buses. What began as a small personal habit eventually became the foundation for a new kind of fame.
Her rise started innocently. She posted a short clip of herself standing at a bus stop in Plaistow, smiling as a double-decker bus rolled past. No music, no talking, no transitions.
Within hours, the video began to spread rapidly, and she only realised what was happening when her daughter called out, “Mummy, you’re going viral!” One of her clips would eventually cross 48 million views, making her one of the most recognisable faces on UK TikTok.
What sets Bus Aunty apart is the simplicity of her content. In an online world filled with fast edits and loud personalities, she does almost nothing, just smiles warmly as buses glide behind her.
That calm, motherly aura has become her trademark. She rarely speaks in her videos, but somehow she says a lot. Millions of viewers find comfort in her gentle presence, and many Nigerians in the diaspora say she reminds them of home.
Her quiet influence has opened doors that many creators can only dream of. She has featured in campaigns for Burberry, IKEA, Transport for London and even appeared in promotional videos supported by the Mayor of London’s office.
This year, she made her biggest leap yet after appearing in Spotify’s highly visible UK campaign alongside stars like Central Cee and PinkPantheress. Her face appeared across digital billboards and promotional assets, placing her squarely in the same media space as mainstream artistes.
The recognition has also come from the creator community. Bemi earned a nomination at the TikTok UK Awards 2025 in the Video of the Year category, an achievement that drew widespread praise, including from London’s mayor who publicly congratulated her. For a woman who started recording bus videos to make herself smile, the attention still feels surreal.
Behind the gentle smile, however, is a story of resilience. She has spoken about the personal losses she has endured, including the death of her husband, and how creating positive content helped her reconnect with joy. Even with fame, she has kept her job as a mental health nurse, insisting that caring for people remains a core part of her life.
Her journey is a reminder that influence does not always come from noise. Sometimes it comes from authenticity, consistency and genuine affection for the simplest things. Bus Aunty has turned a daily London ritual into a cultural moment, bringing warmth to screens across continents and proving that age is not a barrier to digital relevance.
From Ilaje to London’s bus stops, from quiet clips to Spotify billboards, Bemi “Bus Aunty” Orojuogun continues to make Nigerians proud in her own gentle way—one smile, one bus, one viral moment at a time.
