Nigerian actress, Nse Ikpe-Etim, has revealed how she felt when she realized that she is unable to bear kids with her husband.
The actress noted that while she did not feel ashamed, she felt inadequate as a woman after she had undergone a hysterectomy, which is the removal of the uterus after she was diagnosed with adenomyosis.
Speaking with Nigerian lawyer cum journalist, Chude Jideonwo, Nse stated that she and her husband are happy in their marriage, despite the challenges and societal ridicule.
“This is us; you walk in there as it’s a partnership. So, what comes good, bad, ugly – it’s us, let us be.”
“I didn’t feel shame but inadequacy. I felt inadequate as a woman because I would remember every time it was mentioned. The least I would be, but I’m thankful for how I was brought up; we don’t tie shame to ourselves,” she said.
Throwing some light on how her husband came through as her support system, Nse Ikpe-Etim noted that “we live through life fully, and that’s how it is. My husband had stood by me through all of this because that’s the way it’s supposed to be.”
“When it comes to adoption, you can never say never, but my partner and I are dog parents. People should be allowed to live; what else? We are okay, and nothing defines you.”
Recounting her ordeal after waking up from the operation room when her womb had been taken out, the iconic actress said she fell into a depression.
“Tears dropped, and then my husband squeezed my hand. It was reassuring someone was telling me that this reality. Depression is like a dark cloud that hovers around you. You know you can run, but you stand, not because you want to face it but because your legs will never move no matter how hard you try.
