Lasun Alagbe
As popular writer, Chimamanda Ngozi-Adichie, reveals that she had her twins via surrogacy, the development has brought to memory some other Nigerian celebrities who embraced the same process to have children.
Among such is actress Ini Edo, who opted for surrogacy after having issues with own pregnancies.
Ini had noted in an interview: “My journey is one that I have not really wanted to talk about because it is personal. I went through surrogacy. I never thought I would be someone who would have fertility issues.
“But I have had issues carrying pregnancies long-term, and it looked like it was not going to happen the way I wanted it to. So, this option came and I took it.
“I got married at the age of 26 because I thought by 31, I would have been done with childbearing and would be retired to focus on my career. But life did not pan out that way. I have had over six miscarriages. I do not like to go into it. I tried. It was not a fancy way out for me. I have always wanted to do this. I have had IVF. I know what I have dealt with as a woman.”
On her part Chimamanda said she chose to be honest about her experience. As a result, she spoke out also with the hope to neutralise the stigma some associate with the alternative.The award-winning author said in a recent interview with Chude Jidonwo: “My boys are so precious to me,” she says. “And I hated that anything about them would become politicised – so, on the one hand, I thought ‘I wish I hadn’t talked about it’, but on the other hand, there is no way I am going to lie” about the process of birthing them.
“I am hoping that if anything good comes out of this, it would be that more women are less ashamed of talking about reaching motherhood through non-traditional means. Because our society is so judgmental, and I don’t think that is good for anybody.
“But, you know, my daughter and my babies are the greatest gift I’ve been given, so ZERO REGRETS.
“And just in general, I think there is so much shame around issues of fertility that I just think it’s too much of a burden for women. Women are ashamed when they have fibroids, women are ashamed when they have issues getting pregnant, and I don’t believe in that sort of shame, the interviewer said to me that I look fantastic for someone who just had babies and I’m not going to say thank you because that would be a lie. They were born by a surrogate.”