In an interview on a podcast, Waje discussed the emotional and personal hurdles of her journey, revealing the difficult circumstances surrounding her pregnancy and the subsequent denial of paternity by the father.

During the interview, Waje opened up about how she kept her pregnancy a secret from her mother for the first five months. “I was 16. I didn’t tell my mom until about five months into the pregnancy,” she recalled.

The revelation came as a shock to her mother, who, upon confronting the family of the man involved, was met with outright denial.

“My mom went to his family and said, ‘Okay, your son and my daughter…’ and he just denied it. He said, ‘No, it’s not me,'” Waje explained. Despite this, her mother took full responsibility, as per Igbo custom, where a child born out of wedlock is traditionally taken in by the mother’s family.

In the years that followed, the father reappeared, claiming that he wanted his daughter to know him. “At some point, he came back and said, ‘I was young… I want to meet my daughter,'” Waje said. According to her, he also claimed to be living in Canada at the time.

However, Waje was cautious about allowing the father back into their lives, worried that his instability could negatively impact her daughter. “Many times when fathers or mothers protect their child, it’s because you already know that this person is not stable. They could come in and destabilize the life of the child,” she explained.

She also spoke about her firm stance on her daughter’s future, particularly her education. “I had always said that my daughter would get the best education that I can afford. So I told him, ‘You’re a citizen, fight for your child.’”

While discussions about a DNA test surfaced, Waje revealed that the father did not follow through with the process. “He asked me to send him her hair, but I said no. That’s not how it works. We’ll choose the place together,” she said. After several delays and no follow-up from the father, the situation also affected her daughter’s immigration prospects. “She turned 18, and by then, you can’t file for a child at 18,” Waje noted.

Despite these setbacks, Waje took matters into her own hands and ensured her daughter received the education she deserved. “I eventually enrolled her at Middlesex University and paid the fees in dollars to make sure she got the education she wanted.”

Through her story, Waje highlights the complexities of single motherhood, the importance of protecting a child’s future, and the resilience it takes to navigate personal challenges.

Source: Punch