Famous Yoruba star actress, Yetunde Wunmi, born Taiwo Akinwande, has peeled back the layers of her life in a raw and emotional account of the sacrifices she has endured during her nearly four-decade-long career in theatre—a career that has been marked by both triumph and tragedy.
In a deeply reflective interview with BBC Yorùbá, the 64-year-old mother revealed the painful personal price she has paid to pursue her passion, offering a glimpse into the emotional toll that her dedication to the craft has taken on her life.
During the interview, the talented movie star took listeners back to 1982, where her journey on the stage began under the guidance of SundayAkinola (Feyi Kogbon), a time when she was full of hope and ambition, never imagining the challenges that lay ahead.
The spark of her passion for acting, according to her, was ignited after meeting the late AdeyemiAfolayan, a legendary filmmaker whose influence set her on a path that would forever change her life.
Wunmi spoke with heartbreaking candor about how her marriage crumbled under the weight of her devotion to acting, leaving her to navigate a life where her love for the craft came at the expense of the love she once shared with her partner.
In one of the most harrowing revelations of her career, Wunmi recounted an incident that still haunts her to this day—an incident that forever changed her as a woman and as a mother.
With a voice trembling from the memories, she spoke of a time when her baby, just 1-month-old and gravely ill, was carried with her to a performance in Ilorin, Kwara State.
Torn between her duty as an actress and her instincts as a mother, she made the painful decision to go on stage despite her child’s fragile state.
That night, she performed, hoping the worst would not come to pass. But fate, cruel and merciless, had other plans.
At just one year and ten days old, her child was taken from her—snatched away by the cold hands of death.
She was quoted:
“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 a gold. That was when my interest in theatre started to grow. I lost my marriage due to my love for this theatre.
“I never regretted doing theatre since then because God has been gracious to me.
“One experience I cannot forget was when I joined my boss’ group. I was nursing a baby who was still under 41 days. One day, I said let me stroll out but I saw my group having rehearsals. I asked if there was an outing.
“My boss’ wife then told me the troop was traveling. I did not tell my husband the truth. I only told him I was going to visit my mother in another town. I followed the troop to Ilorin where we started the stage performances.
“Anytime I was called to the stage to dance, I would use my costume to wrap the baby and give the child to someone and get the child back whenever I was done. The next day, the child was having a high temperature and I went to the pharmacy to get drugs for the baby.
“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. I was eventually paid N16 — which was the exact amount I spent on treating the child. I was not concerned because I was just happy to have been a part of the show.
“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.”
