Popular Nollywood actress and filmmaker Eniola Ajao has opened up about the emotional and societal challenges she faced after becoming pregnant at the age of 20. In a heartfelt interview on the Talk To B podcast, the actress candidly reflected on her journey into motherhood and the pressure to conceal her pregnancy due to cultural expectations.
“Things were very different back then,” Eniola said. “Getting pregnant at 20 felt overwhelming—like the whole world was turning against me. There were moments I felt like giving up because the stigma was so intense. People would assume you’d never be able to get married again just because you had a child outside of wedlock.”
Eniola revealed that she chose to hide her pregnancy from the public and even from her parents for as long as possible. “Not because I was ashamed,” she clarified, “but because society treated it like something shameful. I was already in Yabatech at the time, and only a few close friends and family members knew. I didn’t want to be labelled a ‘baby mama’ or carry the weight of that stigma.”
Reflecting on how cultural standards shaped her experience, she added, “Someone like Omotola got married at 18, and many women back then married at 17. But in my community, there’s a strong expectation to graduate first, to follow a certain path. Deviating from that was frowned upon.”
Despite the fear and isolation she endured, Eniola Ajao’s story is one of resilience. By sharing her experience, she sheds light on the often-unspoken pressures young women face and challenges the outdated stigmas that continue to shape perceptions around early motherhood.
