Don’t make marriage, children the center of your life, actress Tayo Adeniyi tells women

Nollywood actress Tayo Adeniyi is urging women, particularly those navigating their late 30s and 40s, to reconsider the societal pressure that places marriage and childbearing at the absolute center of a fulfilled life. In a recent social media video, Adeniyi encouraged women to "de-center" these traditional milestones, asserting that happiness and personal fulfillment are achievable regardless of marital or parental status.

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Please, de-centre marriage. You do not have to get married and you do not have to have kids also.

Adeniyi directly addressed women who have faced challenges in marrying or having children, advising them against compromising their well-being to meet external expectations. "Please, de-centre marriage. You do not have to get married and you do not have to have kids also," she stated. She emphasized that women can feel whole and complete without a husband or children, urging them to focus on personal growth and stability. "A whole life doesn't have to be with a man or with kids," she added.

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You can be a whole you without having kids, without having a man in your life. Just get your life together. A whole life doesn't have to be with a man or with kids.

The actress stressed that a woman's worth should not be defined by her marital or parental status. She strongly advised against enduring unhealthy relationships simply to satisfy societal norms. "Don’t put up with nonsense because you want to be married or because you want to have children. Don’t. It’s not worth it," Adeniyi cautioned. She suggested that if marriage or children do not come naturally, it is acceptable to let go, trusting that what is meant to happen will occur.

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Don’t put up with nonsense because you want to be married or because you want to have children. Don’t. It’s not worth it.

Adeniyi further clarified her message in a separate Instagram post, explaining that "decentralizing" marriage and children does not equate to rejecting them. Instead, it means refusing to make them the sole foundation of one's identity. She highlighted that purpose, peace, service, growth, and love are equally vital components of a meaningful life. "Please love yourself first, you are enough," she concluded, advocating for self-love as the primary source of validation.

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You can be happy without children. You can be happy without a husband. Life has changed. Seasons have changed.