Not Everybody Will Have A Husband To Help Them Raise Their Children – Lola Idije

Veteran Nollywood actress Lola Idije has cautioned against putting pressure on women to get married at a young age, arguing that marriage should not be regarded as a compulsory achievement that every woman must accomplish at a particular stage of life.

According to a report by Daily Post on Saturday, October 31, 2026, the actress made the remarks during an interview on the Africanlist Podcast, where she discussed societal expectations surrounding marriage, motherhood and the challenges faced by women who independently raise their children.

Idije argued that some women may not find suitable husbands until they are 40 or 50 years old, stressing that they should not be judged or condemned because their marital experiences do not follow society’s expectations.

She also called for greater understanding of women who raise children without the support of a male partner. According to her, not every woman who becomes a single mother deliberately chooses that situation, as certain circumstances may leave them with the responsibility of bringing up their children alone.

The actress maintained that women who independently shoulder the responsibilities of parenting should not be subjected to unnecessary criticism simply because they do not have husbands assisting them.

“Not everybody will have a husband to help them raise their children. So women have to carry their burden alone. Not all of them choose that life,” she said.

Speaking further, Idije challenged the widespread expectation that women must marry early, noting that getting married at a young age does not automatically guarantee a successful relationship.

She explained that pressuring women to settle down in their early twenties could push them into making important life decisions before they have found suitable partners. Such pressure, she suggested, could expose them to relationships that may eventually become difficult or unsuccessful.

The actress questioned how society could be certain that encouraging a woman to marry at 20 would lead to a healthy and lasting marriage. She argued that nobody could guarantee that a young woman would not make the wrong choice simply because she was rushing to meet societal expectations.

“But if you start pressuring them at 20, how can you be sure that they won’t marry the wrong person?” she said.

Idije’s comments have drawn attention to the different circumstances surrounding marriage and motherhood, particularly the experiences of women who do not follow conventional timelines.

Her position emphasises that marriage should be a personal decision rather than a responsibility imposed on women by society, while also calling for greater recognition of those who raise their children without a spouse.

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