Single mother stigma only applies to women who don’t have things going on for themselves — Mercy Eke

Reality TV star Mercy Eke says the stigma associated with single motherhood in Nigeria largely affects only women who are not financially or socially empowered, insisting that successful women face no such judgement.

Speaking in a recent podcast interview, the Big Brother Naija Season 4 winner said she would have no reservations about raising a child outside marriage if she became pregnant, even though it is not something she actively seeks.

“I won’t go the extra miles to get pregnant out of wedlock. But if it just happens, I would leave it and I would have my baby. I want three kids; two girls and one boy or three girls. I love female children,” she said.

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Eke stressed that her decision would not hinder her prospects of getting married, arguing that society treats single mothers differently based on their economic or social standing.

“Even if I don’t get married, I would still have kids. What most people don’t know is that the stigma of being a single mother only applies to women who don’t have things going well for them,” she said.

“The women [single mothers] that are shattering glasses, men are begging them for marriage. I can get married tomorrow if I want to. But what I want in a man, I have not seen it. It’s not like there is no suitor. There are plenty… So, even if I have a baby, I would still see a man.”

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE