Renowned Nollywood actress Dupe Jaiyesimi has revealed the pain of celebrating her 60th birthday without a child, sharing her struggles with infertility, a failed marriage, and personal heartbreak.
In a deeply emotional interview on Biola Adebayo’s podcast, Jaiyesimi recounted how she once became pregnant, only to suffer a devastating loss due to an ectopic pregnancy. Medical tests confirmed that the baby was growing outside her womb, forcing her to undergo an emergency procedure.
“I was once pregnant, but the scan showed that the baby was growing outside the womb,” she said. “After a few weeks, I lost the pregnancy.”
Her pain was compounded when her husband betrayed her by bringing another woman into their home—already pregnant with his child. Unable to bear the heartbreak, Jaiyesimi walked away from the marriage and has remained single ever since.
“After I lost the pregnancy, my husband brought another woman home, and she was already expecting his baby,” she recalled. “I had no choice but to walk away.”
Determined to become a mother, the veteran actress attempted In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) twice, but both attempts failed. She also considered adoption, but her late mother discouraged her from taking in a child she did not conceive.
“At a point, I thought of adopting, but my mother warned me not to bring any child I didn’t conceive into my life,” she revealed.
Jaiyesimi also spoke about her decision to remain single, explaining that many of the men she encountered were not seeking genuine companionship but only wanted to exploit her.
“Most men just wanted to have a piece of me, so I decided to stay single,” she said.
The actress, once a household name in Yoruba cinema, disclosed that she has been absent from the movie industry for over seven years, neither acting nor producing 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.
Despite the struggles, Jaiyesimi remains hopeful, believing that motherhood is still possible for her.
“As long as there is life, there is hope,” she said. “I still believe I can have my own child.”
