Veteran Nigerian actress, Binta Ayo Mogaji, has advised women over the age of 35 to consider having children outside of marriage if they desire to be mothers. In an interview with Oyinmomo TV, the 60-year-old actress, who became a mother at 40, shared her thoughts on marriage, motherhood, and societal pressures.
Mogaji encouraged women not to let societal expectations prevent them from fulfilling their desire for motherhood. She emphasized that motherhood should be prioritized over the pressure to marry, especially for women in their mid-30s and beyond.
She explained, "Once you are 35 or older and don’t have a husband, but there’s someone in your life who isn’t ready for marriage but wants a child, go ahead and have a child with him, even if he won’t accept responsibility for the child."
Mogaji also addressed the challenges women face in finding a husband as they grow older, noting that societal perceptions often label them as too old. "At 35, people might say you’re too old to marry or won’t be able to cater to a mother-in-law. Men may be advised to marry younger women," she said.
She further pointed out that while some women become grandmothers in their 40s or 50s, others are still searching for a spouse. "If you want a child and can take care of one, do it. But if you can’t find someone to have a child with, then consider adoption," she advised.
