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My parents had me at a young age so my grandmother raised me – Timi Dakolo
Nigerian singer Timi Dakolo shared a poignant glimpse into his childhood, revealing the unconventional circumstances of being raised by his grandmother rather than his parents.
In a candid conversation with media personality Taymesan Emmanuel on the latest episode of the Tea with Tay Podcast, Dakolo opened up about his upbringing.
With a touch of humor, Dakolo remarked, “My parents, I don’t know why they were doing knacking at a very young age. They were very young so they didn’t know what they were doing.”
He continued, recounting the circumstances of his early days: “When they had me they were like ‘Let’s go and see your grandma’ Then they dropped me with her and ran away because they were too young and didn’t know what to do with me. I don’t think my mother was up to 20 years old when she had me and my dad was probably in his early 20s. They were childhood sweethearts, then they left each other and he went back to Ghana.”
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Dakolo emphasized that, despite being raised by his grandmother, he never lacked love and care. He highlighted that his grandmother became his primary caregiver and fulfilled all his needs without spoiling him.
“I grew up with my grandmother, and it didn’t affect me negatively in any way. I never lacked love, and my grandmother was like a parent to me, so I didn’t feel the absence of anyone. She took care of everything concerning me,” he affirmed.
Reflecting on the relationship dynamics within his family, Dakolo described the abundance of love in his home despite his parents’ absence. He stressed that what truly matters for a child’s upbringing is not necessarily a balance between both parents but rather the presence of love.
Dakolo remarked, “I don’t believe I would have turned out any better if I had a balance of both parents. The key is love. What harms a child is the absence of love. My grandmother provided love, discipline, and attention. She always sensed when something was wrong without me saying a word, and she always met my needs. There was plenty of love, but not in excess, so I wasn’t spoiled.”
With a laugh, Dakolo recalled his mother’s disciplinary actions whenever she visited, noting her agility in catching him when he tried to evade punishment.
He humorously added, “Whenever my mum visited, she would scold me for even the slightest mistake. She was still young at the time, so no matter how fast I tried to run, she always caught up to me.”