Popular Nollywood makeup artist Hakeem Onilogbo, famously known as Hakeem Effect, has candidly shared his deeply personal struggles with childbearing and societal pressure in a recent interview with actress Biola Bayo.
Hakeem revealed that he and his wife faced relentless pressure from outsiders, including distressing messages sent to his staff, urging his wife to conceive.
The criticism escalated to the point where some people mockingly referred to his wife as his mother and even accused him of using her womb for personal gain due to his rapid career success after their union.
“People would say, ‘Tell your boss’s wife to go and conceive. A woman’s pride in marriage is her children, not following him around,’” he said. “It got to a stage people used to call her Hakeem’s mother. Some even claimed I had used her womb because my life changed for the better after she came into it.”
To overcome the challenge, the couple opted for surrogacy. Surprisingly, while their surrogate was six months pregnant, his wife naturally conceived.
Reflecting on his past, Hakeem mentioned being in a previous relationship for nearly 10 years but emphasized that meeting his current wife transformed his life.
“My ex-wife was a good and better wife, but God gave me the best,” he said, underlining the critical role his wife plays in his personal and professional success.
On his career journey, Hakeem credited the late Murphy Afolabi for introducing him to the film industry and bestowing upon him the nickname “Hakeem Effect.”
“‘Osumare’ by Murphy Afolabi brought me into the limelight. He was the one who gave me the name Hakeem Effect,” he revealed.
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