Ibadan, Nigeria — Veteran Yoruba actress Dupe Jaiyesimi has revealed her long and painful struggle with childlessness and personal heartbreak during an interview on actress Biola Adebayo’s podcast.
In the candid conversation, Jaiyesimi expressed her profound sadness about not having children to celebrate her 60th birthday. She recounted a heartbreaking moment when she was pregnant but tragically lost the child to an ectopic pregnancy, a condition where the embryo implants outside the womb. “I was once pregnant, but the scan showed that the baby was growing outside of the womb,” she disclosed. “After a few weeks, I lost the pregnancy.”
The actress’s pain was further worsened by betrayal in her marriage. Just after her miscarriage, Jaiyesimi’s husband introduced another woman, who was pregnant with his child, into their home. This revelation forced her to make the difficult choice to leave the marriage. “After I lost the pregnancy, my husband brought another woman home, and she was already expecting his baby,” she recounted, reflecting on the painful decision to walk away from a toxic relationship.
Despite her deep desire for motherhood, Jaiyesimi has faced immense challenges with infertility. She underwent two rounds of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatments, both of which ended unsuccessfully. She also revealed that she once considered adopting a child but was dissuaded by her late mother. “I attempted IVF twice, but it failed,” she shared. “At a point, I thought of adopting, but my mother warned me not to bring any child I didn’t conceive into my life.”
Reflecting on her choice to remain single, Jaiyesimi expressed that many men she encountered were not genuinely interested in a committed relationship but merely sought to exploit her. This disillusionment led her to embrace a life of solitude. “Most men just wanted to have a piece of me, so I decided to stay single,” she stated.
The actress, who was once a prominent figure in Yoruba films, has been absent from the industry for over seven years, during which she has neither acted in nor produced any films. “The only thing I know how to do best is acting, but I have not been in movies for over seven years,” she lamented. “I haven’t produced any either.”
Despite her struggles, Jaiyesimi remains hopeful, believing that there is still a chance for her to become a mother. “As long as there is life, there is hope,” she asserted. “I still believe I can have my own child.” Her journey resonates deeply with many, especially women who face similar challenges. Support and encouragement have flooded her social media as fans and colleagues express admiration for her resilience.
Many have praised her for prioritizing self-respect over a toxic marriage, while others have urged her not to give up on her dream of motherhood. “God’s time is the best,” one fan noted, while another remarked, “You are a strong woman, and your testimony will come one day.”
In her discussion with Biola Adebayo, Jaiyesimi emphasized that she shares her story not for sympathy but to inspire other women who may be facing their own challenges. “I am not telling my story for people to pity me,” she stressed. “I just want people to know that life may not always go as planned, but we must keep faith.”
