Nollywood actress Eniola Ajao shares her emotional journey of becoming pregnant at 20, revealing feelings of isolation and the pressure to hide her pregnancy

Popular Nollywood actress and filmmaker, Eniola Ajao, has candidly shared the challenges and emotional turmoil she experienced after becoming pregnant at the young age of 20.

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In a heartfelt interview on the Talk To B podcast, Ajao spoke openly about the intense feelings of isolation that overwhelmed her.

She revealed the significant lengths she went to keep her pregnancy concealed from the public eye, driven by a deep-seated fear of judgment and the weight of societal expectations at the time.

“You know things aren’t what they used to be at that time. Getting pregnant at the age of 20 was a bit dramatic, because you just feel like the world is coming against you,” Ajao confessed.

“You might probably want to die at a point, and you wouldn’t be able to get married again because of the stigma.”

The actress further elaborated on the immense pressure she felt to hide her pregnancy not only from the public but also from her own parents.

“Getting pregnant at the age of 20 was a bit dramatic, because you just feel like the world is coming against you,” Eniola Ajao confessed in a recent interview.

“You would want to hide it from your parents and the public because it was considered a thing of shame at that time. Not that it was a thing of shame for me, but it was considered to be early.”

At the time she discovered she was pregnant, Ajao was a student at Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech).

She revealed that only a close circle of friends and family were privy to her situation, as she lived in fear of being labeled a “baby mama” and facing the social stigma associated with not adhering to conventional timelines.

Ajao drew a contrast with other actresses, noting, “Omotola got married at 18, a lot of people married at 17, but where I come from, they want you to graduate, and do a couple of things.”

Her experience highlights the diverse societal norms and expectations that can impact young women facing unplanned pregnancies.