I wanted girl-child, struggled to bond with my son – Tiwa Savage

By Adegboyega Adeleye

Renowned Afrobeats artist Tiwa Savage has disclosed that her desire for a daughter contributed to her difficulties in connecting with her son, Jamil Balogun, following his arrival in 2015.

During a recent episode of the FlowWithKorty podcast, the 45-year-old vocalist expressed that learning the sex of her baby while pregnant led her to feel deeply disheartened.

She also talked about her challenges and difficulties during the postpartum phase, including losing a significant advertisement opportunity because of her altered appearance. Reflecting on this time, Tiwa Savage mentioned that she felt like her son's birth had "ruined" her career. She attributed part of her emotional detachment to the significant transformation in her body, which she believed adversely affected her professional life.

“To be truthful, I didn’t form a bond with my son during the initial one or two years. I always wished for a girl. When I found out it was a boy, I broke down in tears.

“When he was born, he constantly cried, and my body didn’t revert to how it was. I felt unattractive. I was meant to participate in a Pepsi campaign at that point, but they rejected me. I thought this boy has ruined my life. Yet now, he is my closest companion,” Tiwa Savage mentioned.

The artist, who was united in marriage with talent manager Tunji ‘TeeBillz’ Balogun from 2013 to 2018, became a mother to Jamil in 2015.

As she noted, she is dedicated to nurturing Jamil to grow into a kind and respectful individual, encouraging him to treat women with kindness and dignity due to her own struggles and painful experiences in former relationships.

“I always remind him, your mother endured a lot, so ensure you treat any girl like royalty. It’s crucial for me to raise him to be a decent man. He will make errors, as no one is perfect. However, fundamentally, I wish for him to be compassionate,” she added.

In the heartfelt interview, Tiwa Savage also shared that aside from her late partner, she has faced misfortune in her other romantic endeavors.

“There are very few relationships I can look back on and find anything good. They have all been terrible! Actually, there is one that was positive, but he has passed away. May his soul rest in peace. He was remarkable,” she stated.