Award-winning Nigerian singer Waje has shared a deeply personal story of resilience and gratitude, highlighting how her mother became her greatest pillar of strength when she became pregnant as a teenager.
Speaking on The Honest Bunch Podcast, the vocalist recounted becoming pregnant at 16 and the emotional turmoil that followed. Instead of dwelling on the hurt and rejection she experienced, Waje emphasized how her mother’s unwavering support changed the course of her life.
Waje revealed that she initially kept the pregnancy hidden due to fear and confusion, only informing her family months later. When her mother confronted the young man’s family, they denied responsibility — a moment Waje describes as painful but ultimately transformational.
According to her, her mother refused to let the setback break their family.
“She just said, ‘If it’s not you, then the child is mine.’ My mom just took over. She was my strength,” Waje recounted.
The singer explained that in Igbo tradition, a family may take full responsibility for a child born outside marriage — a cultural practice her mother embraced wholeheartedly.
Reflecting on the experience, Waje credited that period for shaping her character, fueling her determination, and molding her into the strong woman and artist she is today.
