Veteran Yoruba Nollywood actress Dupe Jayesimi has opened up about her journey of being childless at over 60.
Speaking on Abiola Adebayo’s Talk-to-B podcast, Jayesimi revealed that despite multiple attempts to become a mother, she was unable to conceive.
She shared that when her desperation to have a child grew, she considered adoption, but her mother and family strongly opposed it. “If you adopt any kid, I will feed them to death,” her mother warned, making her realise she was in for a long struggle.
“I got married on October 22, 1988, while already involved in theatre work. Before the wedding, I conceived, but I suffered a miscarriage afterward, and that was where the problems began. We went through numerous medical tests and treatments, yet nothing worked. Five years into the marriage, my husband distanced himself, refusing to check on me for months. Eventually, he started using a pillow to divide our bed, making it clear he wanted me gone,” she recounted.
Jayesimi eventually left the marriage, only to learn that two weeks later, another woman had moved in, already pregnant. Devastated, she turned to alcohol and struggled with heartbreak for years.
She later remarried, encouraged by her parents, and met a man who genuinely tried to help her conceive. She underwent two failed IVF treatments but was eventually able to conceive naturally—without realising it at first.
“One night, I had difficulty urinating after returning from a film location. A nurse gave me pain relief and advised me to see a doctor. The next day, I was told I was pregnant, but it was ectopic. I was already 40 years old at the time. I had surgery, and since then, I haven’t conceived again. The situation led to issues in my marriage, and I eventually left when his wife started a war with him,” she explained.
Through tears, Jayesimi expressed that many men had deceived her, promising she would conceive if she married them, only to take advantage of her. Despite the pain, she has accepted her fate, believing in God’s timing.
“People whose children I helped raise now mock me. Acting has been my saving grace, helping me endure the ridicule. My focus now is to find a child to keep me company. If I hadn’t listened to my mother, I would have adopted long ago. I am not angry with her, but I want her to stay away from me because she is the reason I am childless,” she concluded.
