- – Onwenu’s husband never financially supported the family, leaving her to single-handedly fund her children’s education from kindergarten to master’s degrees.
- – Onwenu expressed that her marriage was not a healthy environment for her children, and she took on the entire responsibility of the family’s well-being.
- – While Onwenu’s ex-husband was not financially supportive, he was sometimes kind and generous, but his controlling nature was a significant issue.
Onyeka Onwenu, the renowned Nigerian singer, songwriter, and human rights activist, has openly shared the challenges she faced in her marriage and the responsibility of raising her children alone. The veteran singer, fondly known as the “Elegant Stallion,” celebrated her 70th birthday on January 31, 2022.
Marital Struggles and Financial Burden
In an interview with Kikelomo Atanda-Owo on her popular show, “Real Talk with Kike,” Onwenu revealed the stark realities of her marriage. She disclosed that her husband never financially supported the family, as he did not contribute a single dime towards their children’s education, from kindergarten through to their master’s degrees.
Onwenu stated that her husband’s lack of financial responsibility and his controlling nature made it extremely difficult for her to stay in the marriage, even though she had not initially wanted it to end.
Raising Children Alone
Onwenu expressed that her marriage was not a healthy environment for her children, as she had to carry the entire burden of the family’s well-being. She said, “It was not good for the children to live in that kind of environment where the mother is depressed, the mother is carrying the weight of the whole family.” Despite the challenges, Onwenu proudly revealed that she was the one who single-handedly raised her children, from their early years to their completion of master’s degrees.
Husband’s Occasional Generosity
While Onwenu’s ex-husband was not financially supportive, she acknowledged that he was a kind and generous man at times. She mentioned that he would occasionally do something unexpected that would pleasantly surprise the family. However, Onwenu emphasized that his controlling nature was a significant issue, as he would withhold his support if anyone did not follow his preferred way of doing things.
Onyeka Onwenu’s candid revelation of her marital struggles and the burden of raising her children alone sheds light on the challenges faced by many women in similar situations. Her story serves as a testament to the resilience and strength of a mother who prioritized the well-being of her children, even in the face of adversity within her marriage.
Onyeka Onwenu’s statement
“I really didn’t want my marriage to end, but I couldn’t take it anymore. It could have killed me, I always say and that’s the truth.
And it was not good for the children to live in that kind of environment where the mother is depressed, the mother is carrying the weight of the whole family. I raised my children from kindergarten to Masters Degree.
My husband did not pay school fees for one day. Didn’t buy clothes, didn’t pay for holidays, didn’t give me housekeeping money. Hard to believe huh? But he was a kind, nice and generous man. He was also generous occasionally, he would do something for you that would make you go, ‘Wow!’
But basically, there was control. If you didn’t do things the way he wanted, ‘well, I’m not going to help you, I’m not going to give you money.”
