Whatever gimmick they sell to hide their grief, Nigeria’s single and successful mothers parade acold breast and serpent smile behind the unfathomable gulfs of guile they flaunt as heartfelt smiles, writes TheCapital.
They would wear their joys upon their sleeves if it were truly possible for them to chance on bliss. Notwithstanding their piteous fates, they make the best of their situations and present a fascinating show of it, to the world.
They are Nigeria’s league of aging, lonely and single mothers. Although society and culture consider their status a predicament, they do not see themselves as severely disadvantaged; rather they consider their inability to keep a husband and have a stable home a benefit of sort. Many of them would passionately argue that if they had stayed married, they wouldn’t have attained the fame and success they flaunt today.
They have tasted marriage, it didn’t just work for them hence they dumped their husbands like a bad habit. Some of them still take care of their children, live large and flaunt fantastic jobs. They don’t want to remarry because they enjoy the freedom that comes with being single mothers. Ask Deola Sagoe, Aisha Babangida, Biola Okoya, Bimbo Arawole, Biola Thomas, Elvina Ibru, Funmi Omitowoju, Eno Olafisoye and many more.
But despite keeping a decent distance from matrimony, most of them still keep their ex husband’s names; these include Nike Animashaun, Florence Ita-Giwa, Ekua Abudu, Derin Disu, Bisi Kuye (former wife to Jubril Martins Kuye), Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, Eno Olafisoye, Funke Kuti, Deola Sagoe, Toyin Alakiu and Nana Dawodu to mention a few.
Perhaps it’s due to the immense benefits enjoyable from their retention of such names – like the prestige associated with answering to such names, that they reluctant to revert to their maiden names. Not a few women are ‘guilty’ of this because it seemingly makes it easier to maintain and run a bank account, and retain the membership of an elite club or a prestigious social class and more. For others, it makes things less confusing for everyone, especially the children from their former marriage.
Some other women choose to make it a mixed affair, as it is noticeable in the case of Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello. Some would say that such marital-name sustenance helps to conceal their marital status and protect them from the unfair societal stereotypes accorded unmarried women. Some simply love the aura and character of their ex-husbands’ names, though they are no longer together. Whatever they tell you, truth is, retention of an estranged husband’s name has its conveniences.
