Nollywood actress Temitope Solaja, popularly known as Aruga, has broken her silence on the long-standing rumors surrounding her transformed appearance, confirming she underwent liposuction, BBL, and dental enhancement to boost her self-confidence.
Speaking during a revealing sit-down with Biola Bayo on the Talk To B show, Temitope explained that her decision to go under the knife had nothing to do with societal or male pressure, but was entirely for personal satisfaction.
“I love fashion. I love to dress up. But my body didn’t align with my style,” she said.
“I did the procedure to feel better in my own skin. When I dress, I want to look in the mirror and say, ‘Girl, you look good.’”
Dental Surgery Sparked by Accident and Insecurity
In addition to her body transformation, Temitope opened up about fixing her teeth, following an accident that left her self-conscious about her smile.
“I smile a lot. I wanted my smile to reflect how I feel inside,” she shared.
Praise and Criticism: Learning to Tune Out the Noise
While her transformation has received mostly positive reactions, Temitope admitted that her journey hasn’t been without pain — especially when it comes to public scrutiny.
One moment that deeply hurt her was being trolled over a grammar mistake in one of her films.
“I said, ‘Why did you sold me out,’ instead of ‘Why did you sell me out.’ Fellow crew should have corrected me on set but they didn’t. And the internet didn’t let it go,” she recalled.
“It hurt because we forgive people who make mistakes in Yoruba, but drag those who mess up in English — and English isn’t even our language!”
Focused on Self-Love and Career Growth
Now back in Nigeria and focused on reigniting her acting career, the actress is choosing to embrace self-love and growth over external validation.
“I don’t let people’s opinions define me anymore. I know who I am. I’m doing me, and I’m not done yet.”
Her emotional honesty comes just days after she also revealed her childhood crush on veteran actor Taiwo Hassan ‘Ogogo’, and detailed her emotional journey adjusting to life in America before returning home to Nollywood.
