Renowned Nollywood actress Ini Edo has shed light on her journey to becoming a mother, explaining her decision to choose surrogacy and sharing insights about her child’s paternity.
The revelation came during a heartfelt conversation on the latest season of Young, Famous & African, available on YouTube on Sunday.
The actress opened up to her co-stars about the challenges that shaped her choices.
During the episode, Ini was asked about her relationship status, the father of her child, and the reasoning behind her decision to pursue surrogacy.
She revealed that health complications prevented her from carrying pregnancies to term, prompting her to explore alternatives.
Nadia, one of her co-stars, initiated the discussion by asking, “Are you married?” Ini responded, “I’m not married.”
When the focus shifted to the child’s father, Nadia queried, “Are you together with the dad?” Ini replied, “No, I’m not.”
Nadia pressed further, asking, “Is he still alive?” Ini paused and said, “Well, I don’t know.”
“Girl, is he dead or not? It’s a yes or no question,” Nadia persisted.
“He’s not dead,” Ini clarified. “He doesn’t have anything to do with us. It’s just me and my child.”
Speaking further, Ini acknowledged that she had avoided discussing her experience publicly due to its deeply personal nature. “I’m raising her alone,” she said. “I went through surrogacy.”
The actress explained that her decision stemmed from a desire to become a mother, even though she was single at the time. She said, “There are different ways to go about it. I don’t think surrogacy is something people just wake up and say that’s what they want to do.”
Reflecting on her struggles, she shared, “I never thought I would be someone who had fertility issues. But I’ve had issues carrying pregnancies long-term.”
“When it looked like it was not going to happen the way I wanted it to happen and I wasn’t getting younger, I said, ‘What are the options? What is available to me?’”
“And then, this option came up, so I took it,” she explained.
She concluded by expressing her contentment with her decision, saying, “And I’m very happy with my decision.”
Ini’s story highlights her resilience and determination to embrace motherhood despite the hurdles she faced.