Michael Ilesanmi, once celebrated as one half of one of 90 Day Fiancé’s most explosive couples, may already be questioning whether leaving Angela Deem was the right move. Their romance began innocently enough, with a Facebook connection bridging the 22-year age gap between a young Nigerian man and an outspoken American grandmother. The early days were filled with hope and the promise of a future together, despite cultural differences and the looming shadow of public scrutiny. Viewers watched the couple’s journey unfold across multiple spinoffs, from Before the 90 Days to Happily Ever After, where their chemistry—often chaotic—made them a staple of the franchise. Yet behind the scenes, cracks began to show, stemming from Michael’s infidelity early in their relationship, Angela’s fiery temper, and the growing pattern of emotional and verbal clashes. Marriage in early 2020, rather than smoothing the rough edges, only locked them into a cycle of unresolved conflicts, especially with the long wait for Michael’s U.S. visa fueling more tension than tenderness. When Michael finally arrived in America, it seemed like a long-awaited happy ending, but within months, February 2024 brought the shocking news that he had left Angela.

At first, Michael appeared to be thriving on his newfound independence, quickly creating social media accounts and sharing a steady stream of motivational posts and lifestyle snapshots. His follower count skyrocketed to over 188,000 on Instagram, and he began racking up thousands of views on his videos. The narrative was clear—he was living the American dream, free from the constant battles and chaos of his marriage. Yet this shiny new image was built on a fragile foundation. After all, Michael had only been in the United States for a year, and despite the perception of success, he had not yet achieved any major personal or professional milestones. His rise in attention coincided with the peak of public interest in his breakup, but social media fame is fickle. The same audience that fueled his boost could just as quickly turn their attention elsewhere, leaving him to navigate the reality of life without the constant drama that once made him a fan favorite.

Signs of trouble for Michael’s post-Angela stardom are already emerging. The engagement numbers on his recent posts have begun to dip, with selfies and updates no longer drawing the same level of interaction they did in mid-2024. The drop is telling—90 Day Fiancé fans are always hungry for the next outrageous storyline, and without Angela’s unpredictable, fiery presence, Michael’s content risks blending into the background. For years, his notoriety was intertwined with Angela’s larger-than-life personality; together, they embodied the combustible mix of romance, cultural tension, and public spectacle that reality TV thrives on. Alone, Michael’s calm, easygoing demeanor, while appealing in everyday life, may lack the controversy and intensity needed to keep him in the limelight. This growing invisibility might push him to confront an uncomfortable truth: that much of his fame was less about him and more about the volatile, attention-grabbing relationship he had with Angela.

Michael has been open for over six years about his aspirations to build a brand, create content, and remain relevant in the entertainment space. His ambition is clear, but ambition alone isn’t enough to guarantee staying power, especially in a market oversaturated with influencers, reality stars, and viral personalities. Without the constant drama that Angela’s personality brought to the table, Michael may find it difficult to reinvent himself as a standalone figure in the public eye. Reality TV thrives on conflict, and while audiences initially rooted for Michael as the calm voice of reason, they also tuned in for the fireworks—fireworks that are now missing from his narrative. Without adapting his strategy and finding a unique hook to keep fans invested, the slow fade from relevance may be inevitable.

In the end, Michael’s departure from Angela may prove to be a double-edged sword. On one hand, he escaped an emotionally taxing and often toxic relationship, gaining the freedom to pursue his own dreams in America. On the other, he may come to realize that the very chaos he left behind was also the engine driving his fame. As fans move on to newer 90 Day Fiancé stars and fresher scandals, Michael risks becoming a footnote in the franchise’s history—a reminder that in the unpredictable world of reality TV, sometimes the thing you can’t stand is the very thing that keeps you in the spotlight. Whether he can reinvent himself before the spotlight fully fades will determine if Michael Ilesanmi remains a household name or becomes just another reality star lost to the archives of past seasons.