Veteran Nigerian singer Aituaje Aina Vivian Ebele Iruobe, better known as Waje, has sparked a heated online debate after making a bold statement about her stance on marriage and success.
Speaking during her appearance on the latest episode of The Honest Bunch Podcast, the 45-year-old music star said she would never marry a man who isn’t successful, insisting that her age no longer gives her room to “build” with anyone from scratch.
“I can’t marry a man who is not successful. I am not in my 20s, so we can’t build together. A man leads by selling aspiration to me. I have to aspire to see him lead,” the singer said.
Her comment quickly went viral, drawing mixed reactions across social media. While some users supported her for being honest about her expectations, others criticized the singer for what they called a “materialistic” outlook on relationships.
“I can’t marry someone who is not successful, and here’s why…”
Waje speaks about her preferences when it comes to the choice of a life partner. pic.twitter.com/t5p5SRo7kv
— @𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗷𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗯𝗼𝘆 (@OneJoblessBoy) November 3, 2025
Beyond the viral moment, Waje also used the podcast to open up about her deeply personal journey into motherhood. She recounted how she became pregnant at 16 and had to raise her daughter alone after the child’s father denied responsibility.
“I was 16. I didn’t tell my mom until about five months. My mom had gone to his family and said, okay, so your son and my daughter… and he was like, no, it’s not him,” Waje recounted.
The singer revealed that the experience was painful for both her and her mother, who had to face the reality of raising a grandchild without support from the father’s family. Waje said the situation forced her to mature quickly and shaped the resilient woman she is today.
Her openness about the struggles of teenage motherhood and the realities of dating as a successful woman in her 40s has reignited conversations about gender roles, financial stability, and expectations in modern relationships.
“I got pregnant when I was 16 years old and I didn’t tell my parents till the pregnancy got to 5 months. The owner of the pregnancy rejected me and the baby at the time but came back later when he was ok to claim the child and I kicked against it…….” – Waje 🥹 pic.twitter.com/GzPuAmiD9p
— Oyindamola🙄 (@dammiedammie35) November 3, 2025