For years, the topic of infertility has been treated as taboo in Nigeria, a societal dictation that usually forces many couples into silence due to the fear of the unknown pressure and stigma.

However, the jinx has appeared seemingly broken in recent times. Some Nigerian celebrities have not only chosen a different path somewhat alien, but have also chosen to make it an open secret, defying the culture of silence by sharing personal journeys with assisted reproductive technology, particularly surrogacy and in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Their decisions, often borne out of medical necessity, have not only expanded the conversation around motherhood but also inspired countless women battling fertility challenges.

What’s in Surrogacy and IVF

Surrogacy is an arrangement where a woman carries and delivers a baby for another person or couple who cannot conceive or sustain a pregnancy.

It comes in two forms: traditional surrogacy, where the surrogate uses her own egg, and gestational surrogacy, made possible through in vitro fertilization (IVF), where she carries an embryo created from the intended parents’ or donors’ eggs and sperm.

While IVF has made gestational surrogacy increasingly common, conversations around it remain limited in Nigeria.

This was the focus of a recent lecture in Ibadan, themed “Surrogacy as a Pathway to Modern Development in Nigeria,” organized by Hanniel’s Noble Legal Practitioners.

The guest speaker, legal practitioner and surrogacy law advocate, Othniel Idowu Falana, described surrogacy as an “emerging reality” that policymakers and stakeholders must address.

According to him, it is not just about medical possibilities but also about human rights and societal acceptance.

Falana shared his experience handling a case in 2021 that revealed the discrimination children born through surrogacy can face.

“A woman who used a surrogate was denied visas for her children to travel to Germany because they were not considered to have been born ‘properly.’ This is an issue of identity denial,” he said.

For Falana, the key message is clear: “Every child, regardless of how they are conceived, has rights protected under Nigerian law.”

As more Nigerians turn to IVF and surrogacy, experts believe the conversation must go beyond medical science to include policy, ethics, and social acceptance ensuring that the path to parenthood is not only possible but also dignified.

While this is a growing trend among celebrities with many still not in the open, Tribune Online takes a look at those who have chosen to unearth their cherished way-forward:

1. Ini Edo: The Pioneer of Openness

Ini Edo who got married at 26 hoping to be done with childbirth at 31 revealed challenges with infertility.

The actress narrated during an interview that she had over six miscarriages and endured multiple failed IVF procedures.

This long and painful journey led her to consider alternative paths to motherhood. She was open about her decision being a last resort, not a “fancy way out.”

She has been very vocal about the emotional and collaborative nature of her surrogacy experience.

In a public address, she stated, “She wasn’t just a vessel. I was involved every step of the way from prenatal care and medical decisions to emotional bonding during the pregnancy.”

This was a direct pushback against the common misconception of surrogacy as a transactional, “baby factory” process.

Edo also addressed her status as a single mother, stating that the biological father of her child is not involved in raising the child. This further highlights her modern and unconventional approach to family-building, a topic that resonates with many Nigerian women.

2. Abiola Adebayo: A Voice of Hope for TTC Parents

Abiola Adebayo’s journey resonates deeply with couples “trying to conceive” (TTC) because of her candidness about the emotional rollercoaster of fertility treatments.

Tribune Online reports that the actress announced this on her Instagram account on Tuesday, April 11, 2023.

Biola disclosed that she and her husband waited for years and went through several heartbreaking setbacks, including one failed IVF, a canceled surrogate cycle, and three failed surrogate attempts, before successfully welcoming their son.

She wrote, “After one failed IVF. One canceled surrogate circle. Three failed surrogate attempts in two years, God has finally blessed my husband and I with a great son through our surrogate mom.

“Through it all, God has been so good to us and we’re grateful for this great testimony. Thank you Abba Father.”

3. Nike Osinowo: Battling Endometriosis and Proving Age Is Just a Number

Nike Osinowo’s story is a compelling case of a celebrity who overcame a serious medical condition to achieve motherhood later in life.

In October 2013, ex-Miss Nigeria, Nike Oshinowo welcomed a set of twins – a boy and a girl, via a gestational surrogate in the United States of America.

She has been very open about her decades-long battle with endometriosis, a painful condition that made carrying a pregnancy impossible. Surrogacy was a medical necessity for her to have children.

Osinowo’s decision to have twins via a gestational surrogate at the age of 47 challenged societal norms about the “right time” to have children. Her story serves as an inspiration for older women who still desire to become mothers.

Unlike the more recent public journeys of Ini Edo and Abiola Adebayo, Osinowo’s surrogacy was initially met with some controversy and public scrutiny, particularly regarding her marital status at the time.

Experiences shared by Nigerian celebrities depicts evolving social acceptance of surrogacy over the last decade in Nigeria. (Nigerian Tribune)

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