Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde Shares Her Struggles As A Girl Child

In commemoration of the International Day of the Girl Child, Nollywood actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde recounted her struggles while growing up as a young girl who lost her dad at 12 and had to start fending for her family at the early age of 15.

She made it clear in her post that all children are important, regardless of gender, and the possibilities a girl child has should never be underestimated.

Omotola did this out of joy a few moments after Popular American Cinematographer Keith L. Smith, in an interview, called her the “Angelina Jolie of Nigeria”.

See what the actress posted below:

A post shared by Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde (@realomosexy) on Oct 11, 2017 at 5:18am PDT

“On today’s girl child day I’ll do an unusual post true to me.

As a child, I lost my father age 12. Sponsored by a great community of Ondo men, the #Ekimogun club, so I could continue my education.

At age 15, started struggling to help my widowed mother. I started working in the Entertainment Industry. While going to school, and working, faced many challenges as a female child… talks of being loose, perhaps being a prostitute, lack of freedom to mingle like male counterparts, rumours and fear of slander, sexual harassments… but one of my early dreams was to be great at whatever I chose and be side by side the best in the World.

I’m not totally there yet, … but.. That 12-year-old Iyanaipaja little girl did take care of her widowed mum till she died, took care of her younger brothers… they are in marriage stages now, taking care of herself and her own family, taking care of a few people she is privileged to be able to.

She has worked, spoken on, been awarded on World stages, and has been compared to the people she admired when growing up, from other parts of the World… She’s still a work in progress but…

Don’t you dare Underestimate the possibilities of a girl child.”