Tiwa Savage has always been known for her grace and professionalism, but behind the scenes, she faced a storm of public scrutiny and personal pain.
In a deeply candid conversation on The Receipts Podcast, Tiwa opened up about the challenges she encountered after her highly publicized divorce from her former husband, Tunji ‘TeeBillz’ Balogun.
“When I came out, I was Nigeria’s sweetheart,” Tiwa shared, remembering the admiration she received when she first entered the spotlight.
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“I did everything by the book. I went to university, I wasn’t a baby mama. I got married, then I had a baby, so I did everything in the right order and everybody loved me.”
It seemed that Tiwa had it all figured out—until her personal life began to unravel publicly.
The breakdown of her marriage was made all the more painful when TeeBillz announced it online, leaving Tiwa to face the backlash. “I didn’t break up with him, but I was the one being attacked,” she explained.
At the time, Tiwa had a newborn baby and was struggling with postpartum depression. “My body wasn’t the same, and I was depressed. Everyone went to him, and only a few people came to see me,” she recalled.
The pain intensified when she decided to speak up. After giving an interview to share her side of the story, Tiwa faced even more criticism.
“People were like, ‘How dare you go and talk? You’re a woman and you’re supposed to build the house, it’s your fault,'” she said, recounting the harsh judgment she received.
The public’s reaction made her question herself deeply, and it took a toll on her mental health.
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“I remember famous people calling me to ask how I could tell my side of the story, because I’d never win,” Tiwa confessed. “Ever since then, I was like I won’t ever talk about the situation because it was very heartbreaking how the public took it and blamed me.”
The experience was an eye-opener for Tiwa, leading her into a period of anger and depression. “It made me depressed for so long,” she admitted. “
It got me angry, then I became the ‘African Bad Girl.’” She explained how she adopted a rebellious persona, including getting tattoos and dressing more provocatively. “I started wearing short skirts and bikinis. I was just wild,” she revealed.
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