Mercy Johnson-Okojie and Shaffy Bello, both actresses from Nigeria, are two of the most well-known figures in Nollywood right now. They are both at the top of their game. Mercy Johnson is renowned for being an extremely involved and overprotective mother whose children are constantly in her presence. In order to pursue an acting career here in Nigeria, Shaffy Bello had to make the sacrifice of leaving her children behind.
Shaffy Bello and Mercy Johnson discussed motherhood and acting in the most recent Mercy Johnson television program, Mercy’s Menu.
During the discussion, Shaffy Bello opened up about how hard it was as a mother leaving her children to come and pursue an acting career in Nollywood, and Mercy Johnson also opened up about her biggest fear as regards her children. Here is how the conversation between Mercy Johnson and Shaffy Bello went, and here’s what both women said.
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Here is how the conversation about children and motherhood went between Mercy Johnson and Shaffy Bello:
MERCY JOHNSON: When you got into Nollywood, it’s challenging because it takes a lot, as a mom. How challenging was it leaving the kids, coming down here and working.
SHAFFY BELLO: It was challenging coming into Nollywood, come on you’re a mom, you know how hard it is. I left my kids at the age of 12 and 11, or 12 and 10
MERCY JOHNSON: But they were coming often, cuz I know when we filmed, they were here?
SHAFFY BELLO: Yes, they were coming often but I left them for a number of years just going and they weren’t coming. So it was really tough. It was a sacrifice, but it is a sacrifice that was worth it. The ends justify the means. Hallelujah. So you tell me. I’m going to ask you, I’m going to reverse it to you. How are you handling four children?
MERCY JOHNSON: Hmm. So I saw this quote online, let me start from there. The quote said “Overprotective moms are like girls who grew up without being protected” and that meant something. So one of my biggest fears would be my kids going through what I went through. That emptiness and that no sense of direction. So like I always say, my life is like a scale of preference and they come first before every other thing. Cause as a child, I suffered so much and I remember crying with nobody to clean my eyes. I can define hunger because I know it. I can define abuse so it is a feeling I don’t want any child, not the one that came from me, to go through. So they always say “oh Mercy you’re so awesome awesome awesome”, my past is the reason why I am very protective of my kids basically.
What do you think about what both Mercy Johnson and Shaffy Bello had to say?