By Maryjane Austine
Singer Waje Reveals She Got Pregnant at 16 And Raised Her Child Alone
Nigerian music star Aituaje Iruobe, popularly known as Waje, has shared that she became pregnant at the age of 16 and faced a difficult journey raising her daughter after the man responsible denied paternity.
Waje made the revelation during an interview on The Honest Brunch podcast, in an episode released on Monday.
“I was 16. I didn’t tell my mom till about five months,” she recalled, explaining that her mother only found out when the pregnancy was already far along.
She said her mother later visited the family of the man involved, but he denied responsibility. “My mom had gone to his family and said, okay, so your son and my daughter… and he was like, no, it’s not him,” Waje said.
According to the singer, her mother eventually took full responsibility for her and the baby, adding that under Igbo tradition, a child born out of wedlock automatically belongs to the woman’s family.
Years later, Waje said the man resurfaced, claiming he wanted to reconnect with his daughter. “At some point he came back and he was like, I was young… I want to meet my daughter,” she said, adding that he was then living in Canada.
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However, Waje said she was hesitant to allow contact because she doubted his stability. “Many times when fathers or mothers are protecting their child, it’s because you already know that this person is not stable. This person can come and destabilise the life of the child,” she explained.
She said she prioritised her daughter’s education and future, insisting that the man should take responsibility if he truly wanted a relationship. “I had always said that my daughter would get the best education that I can afford. So I told him, you are a citizen, fight for your child,” she said.
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Waje revealed that discussions later moved towards a DNA test, but the man never followed through. “He asked me to send him her hair. I said no, that is not how it is done. We will choose the place. And I waited and waited and I never heard from him,” she added.
The singer said the delay eventually affected potential immigration opportunities for her daughter, explaining that “she turned 18 and you can’t file for a child at 18.”
Despite the challenges, Waje said she fulfilled her promise by enrolling her daughter at Middlesex University and paying her tuition in dollars to ensure she received the quality education she always dreamed of providing.