Lemi Abiodun Ghariokwu was born Emmanuel Sunday on 26 December 1955, in Agege, Lagos. He is from Agbor, Delta State but has spent all his life in Lagos, Nigeria. He grew up in Igbobi, Fadeyi in Lagos State with his parents and siblings. During his school days, he often spent his long vacations at Ajegunle. His father wanted him to be a mechanical engineer, so he attended a technical school; Yaba College of Technology Secondary School, where he studied technical and science subjects but this was where his school journey ended.