Nigerian singer Tiwa Savage has opened up about her early struggles with motherhood, revealing that she initially found it difficult to bond with her son after his birth.
In a candid interview with YouTuber Korty EO, Savage admitted that she had always hoped for a girl, which made it challenging for her to connect with her son, Jamil Balogun, for the first two years of his life.
“Honestly, I didn’t bond with my son for the first year or two. I always wanted a girl. They told me it was a boy, and I started crying,” she said.
The singer also recalled feeling the impact of childbirth on her career. She said she was dropped by a brand campaign because of how her body changed after giving birth. “When he came he was always crying and my body didn’t snap back. I looked horrible. I was supposed to do a campaign with Pepsi at the time and they turned me away. And I just thought this boy has destroyed me. But now, he is my best friend,” she added.
Reflecting on her experiences, Tiwa said she has focused on raising her son to be a kind and respectful man. “I always tell him, you mum suffered oo, make sure you treat any girl like a queen. It is very important for me to raise him as a good man. He is going to make mistakes, he is not perfect. But at the core of him, I want him to be kind,” she explained.
Tiwa Savage welcomed Jamil Balogun in July 2015 with her then-husband Tunji Balogun. The 10-year-old recently celebrated his birthday in July 2025.
