Laide Bakare, the Nollywood actress, has shared her unconventional views on balancing career and family.
In an interview with Nollywood On Radio, the film star advised career-oriented single women to have children early if they desire to achieve long-term professional success.
Citing her personal experience, the actress argued that marriage not necessary to start a family.
“If you are aspiring to be a superstar, successful in your career as a young girl, I would advise you to get married and have kids early,” she said.
“So that you can have the rest of your years to push your career because the family area is very important.
“I know that getting married very early may lead to divorce so I mean starting family early.
“Maybe I should retract that because I do not mean marriage. Even me I never thought of marriage. The time I had my first child, I just wanted a baby.”
Bakare clarified that her advice wasn’t about marriage but rather starting a family, emphasizing the importance of having children.
“So the advise is not get married early but start having family,” she said.
Bakare also revealed that she had a rift with colleague Eniola Badmus, who misunderstood the advice as a reference to her being childless.
“Recently, I saw Eniola Badmus so we wanted to continue our quarrel and she said I called her childless,” she added.
“So I told her I meant and only said start a family. I meant start a family not go and get married, just have your kids. Not necessarily marriage but at least have kids.”
Ayo Mogaji, another actress, recently echoed similar sentiments. She advised unmarried women over 35 to consider having children outside wedlock if they desire motherhood.
Bakare was previously married to Olumide Okunfulure, an American-based businessman from Ondo state.
Although their union ended, it produced a daughter named Simi.
The movie star also shares two sons with Mutairu Orilowo, her second husband.
The status of her second marriage is however unknown to the public.
