Eniola Ajao, a well-known Nigerian actress, has spoken candidly about her experience becoming a mother at the age of 20 and the difficulties she faced due to societal expectations.
During a recent appearance on the Talk To B podcast, Ajao discussed the stigma of being pregnant out of wedlock and the emotional toll it took on her.
She shared the fear of being labeled a “baby mama” and the uncertainty about her future, including concerns that she might never get married.
Ajao expressed, “You know things are not what they used to be before now. Ladies at my age, then, their parents were always skeptical about not being exposed to so many things that were going on during that time.”
She continued, “Having to get pregnant at 20 was a bit dramatic; you just feel like the whole world is coming against you. You probably want to kill yourself or die at a point, and you would probably not be able to get married again.”
The actress explained that, while she didn’t personally feel the experience was shameful, societal norms at the time made it difficult for her. “So you want to hide it from your parents and the public. At that time, it was considered a thing of shame. Not that it was a thing of shame for me, but it was considered to be early,” she added.
Ajao kept her pregnancy private, sharing the news only with a select few. She pointed out the cultural pressure, saying, “Omotola got married at 18, a lot of people got married at 17, but where I come from, they want you to finish your school, graduate, and do a couple of things. I was already in Yabatech when it happened.”
Reflecting on the stigma she feared, Ajao stated, “Thinking that probably you may not get married, somebody calling you a baby mama, and you do not want to get stigmatised. Just close friends and family members knew about it.”
While the 44-year-old actress remains private about her current relationship status, her career in the Nigerian film industry, which began in 2004 with the Yoruba film Igba Aimo, has flourished with numerous film appearances. In May 2024, Ajao also revealed her reasons for keeping her son off social media.
