I lost my marriage, newborn baby due to passion for acting – Actress, Wunmi reveals

Yetunde Wunmi, the actress born Taiwo Akinwande, has opened up about the sacrifices she made during her nearly four-decade-long career in theatre.

In an interview with BBC Yorùbá, the 64-year-old said her career as a stage performer began in 1982 under Sunday Akinola’s (Feyi Kogbon) theatre group.

She revealed that her passion for acting was sparked after meeting the late legendary filmmaker Adeyemi Afolayan.

The film star also disclosed that her marriage ended due to her passion for acting.

Wunmi recalled taking her one-month-old baby to a performance in Ilorin, Kwara state, despite the child’s illness. She said the child, unfortunately, passed away at one year and 10 days old.

“Adelove brought the stage drama to Danjuma’s film close to where I lived then. I cannot forget the man. He wore all white that day. He had on a white shoe and stepped out of a white car,” she said.

“Everybody ran towards him, and I also moved closer to make sure I touched his clothes. I was very happy at the time. It felt like touching gold. That was when my interest in theatre began to grow. I lost my marriage due to my love for this theatre.

“I have 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 old. One day, I went out for a stroll but saw my group having rehearsals. I asked if there was an outing, and my boss’ wife told me the troupe was traveling. I didn’t tell my husband the truth; I only told him I was going to visit my mother in another town. I followed the troupe to Ilorin, where we started the stage performances.

“Every time I was called to the stage to dance, I would use my costume to wrap the baby and hand the child to someone, then collect the baby again when I was done. The next day, the child had a high temperature, so I went to the pharmacy to get medicine.

“Two days later, my boss told me to return home because of the baby’s health, but I refused and insisted on staying. I was eventually paid N16 — the exact amount I spent on treating the child. I didn’t mind because I was just happy to have been part of the show.

“The most painful part was that the baby died after a year and 10 days. So, the child never got to enjoy the success of the theatre with me. It is something I will never forget.”