Nigerian singer, Tiwa Savage has opened up about navigating public scrutiny, particularly after her marriage to talent manager, Tunji Balogun better known as Teebillz ended in 2018.
In a candid conversation on the Receipts podcast, she reflected on how the highly publicized split reshaped her public image and personal experiences.
Tiwa Savage recounted how she was initially celebrated for embodying the traditional ideals of education, marriage, and motherhood. However, the narrative shifted after her divorce, as she became a target of intense criticism and scrutiny, with many unfairly blaming her for the collapse of her marriage.
The ‘Kele Kele’ crooner revealed that the public’s harsh reactions added to an already difficult period, as she was simultaneously grappling with the emotional toll of her divorce, postpartum depression, and the physical changes her body was undergoing.
Tiwa Savage shared that the experience taught her the importance of prioritizing her well-being and setting boundaries, leading her to be more cautious about exposing her personal life to the public.
She said,
“When I came out, I was Nigeria’s sweetheart when I started and I could do no wrong in Nigerian’s eyes. I did everything by the books, I did everything by the books, you know, I went to university and I wasn’t a baby mama. I got married then I had a baby so I did everything in the right order and everybody loved me and then everything happened.”
Then I started getting hate from blogs and I started getting hate from certain people. And that’s how our situation happened, he actually announced it online. I didn’t break up with him but I was the one being attacked and I my baby was just a few months old and I was dealing with postpartum and my body wasn’t the same and I was really depressed. Everyone then went to him and only few people came to see me.”
“After I did an interview to tell my side of the story, it got worse. People were like ‘How dare you go and talk’ ‘You’re a woman and you’re supposed to build the house, it’s your fault.’”
“I remember famous people calling me to ask how I could tell my side of the story cuz I’d never win. Ever since then, I was like I won’t ever talk about the situation because it was very heartbreaking how the public took it”.
Tiwa Savage and Teebillz got married in 2013 and divorced in 2018. They share a son, Jamil Balogun.
Teebillz was previously married to Kenea Udoh, and they have two children together.
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