Yetunde Wunmi Reveals Acting Ended Her Marriage

In an interview with BBC Yorùbá, veteran Nigerian actress Yetunde Wunmi opened up about the personal cost of her passion for theatre, admitting that her decision to pursue acting ultimately led to the breakdown of her marriage. The 64-year-old actress, who began her career in 1982 with Sunday Akinola’s theatre group, shared that her love for the craft was so strong that it caused tension in her personal life, leading to the end of her union.

Wunmi’s journey into acting began by a chance encounter with legendary filmmaker Adeyemi Afolayan, better known as “Adelove.” Recalling the moment, Wunmi said, “Adelove brought the stage drama to Danjuma film close to where I lived then. I cannot forget the man. He wore all white that day. He wore a white shoe and came out from a white car. Everybody ran towards the man and I also went closer to make sure I touched his clothes. I was very happy at the time. It felt like I touched gold.” This encounter ignited her passion for theatre, setting the course for her professional journey.

However, the pursuit of her passion came at a personal cost. “I lost my marriage due to my love for this theatre,” Wunmi confessed, though she made it clear that she had no regrets about her decision. “I never regretted doing theatre since then because God has been gracious to me,” she said. Despite the challenges, Wunmi remains grateful for the opportunities and success that acting has brought her.

One particularly poignant memory that Wunmi shared involved a period when she was a new mother and still actively performing. She recalled a time when she was nursing a 41-day-old baby while on a theatre tour to Ilorin. “Anytime I was called to the stage to dance, I would use my costume to wrap the baby and give the child to someone, getting the child back whenever I was done,” Wunmi explained. Unfortunately, the experience was bittersweet, as her baby later fell ill with a high fever. “Two days later, my boss told me to return home due to the baby’s health, but I refused and told him I was staying back,” she added. Despite the challenges, she said she was paid a mere N16 for her troubles, which was exactly the amount she spent on treating her baby’s illness.

Tragically, Wunmi’s joy in her early theatre career was marred by the heartbreaking loss of her child, who passed away at just 1 year and 10 months old. “The most painful part of it was that the baby died after a year and 10 days old. So, the child did not enjoy the success of theatre with me. It is something I will never forget,” she shared, reflecting on the deep personal sacrifices she made in pursuit of her passion.