Nigerian music artiste, Aituaje Iruobe, popularly known as Waje, has revealed that she got pregnant at the age of 16, and that raising the child was challenging because the man responsible denied paternity.
She disclosed this during an interview on the Honest Brunch podcast, in an episode uploaded on Monday.
According to her, she did not inform her mother until she was about five months into the pregnancy.
She said, “I was 16. I didn’t tell my mom till about five months.”
Waje narrated that when her mother went to the family of the man involved, he denied responsibility.
She said, “My mom had gone to his family and said, okay, so your son and my daughter… and he was like, no, it’s not him.”
She added that her mother eventually took full responsibility, noting that under Igbo custom, a child born out of wedlock is automatically taken by the woman’s family.
Waje said the man later returned years after, insisting that the child should know her father.
She said, “At some point he came back and he was like, I was young… I want to meet my daughter.”
She added that he claimed to be living in Canada at the time.
Waje said she initially resisted because she was worried about the stability and consistency of the man.
She said, “Many times when fathers or mothers are protecting their child, it’s because you already know that this person is not stable. This person can come and destabilise the life of the child.”
She also said she placed firm demands regarding her daughter’s future, especially her education.
Waje said, “I had always said that my daughter would get the best education that I can afford. So I told him, you are a citizen, fight for your child.”
Waje said she initially resisted because she was worried about the stability and consistency of the man.
She said, “Many times when fathers or mothers are protecting their child, it’s because you already know that this person is not stable. This person can come and destabilise the life of the child.”
She also said she placed firm demands regarding her daughter’s future, especially her education.
Waje said, “I had always said that my daughter would get the best education that I can afford. So I told him, you are a citizen, fight for your child.”
