Nollywood actress and filmmaker Eniola Ajao has opened up about becoming a mother at age 20, revealing the emotional turmoil and societal pressure she faced during that period.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Talk To B podcast, Ajao recalled how being pregnant out of wedlock came with deep stigma that left her feeling alone and ashamed.
“Having to get pregnant at 20 was a bit dramatic; you just feel like the whole world is coming against you,” she said. “You probably want to kill yourself or die at a point, and you would probably not be able to get married again.”
Ajao, now 44, said the fear of being branded a “baby mama” and possibly never getting married weighed heavily on her.
“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 said.
“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.”
The actress, who was a student at Yabatech when she got pregnant, kept the news private, sharing it only with a few trusted people.
“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,” she said.
Ajao also compared her situation to others who married young. “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,” she added.
While Ajao has a son, she remains private about her relationship status.
In May 2024, she revealed her reasons for keeping her son off social media, maintaining a clear boundary between her public career and family life.
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