I should have fought for my marriage – Actress Rachel Oniga

The actress was speaking with the Punch newspaper and touched on several aspects of her life including her career, being a single mother and decision not to remarry after her failed marriage 

 

The actress revealed during the interview that though she did took some training during her secondary school days, it was not until after she had separated from the father of her child (she prefer to refer to her late ex-husband that way) did she take up professional acting.

 

 

She explained that it was Uncle Lai Ashade of the now rested Village Headmaster tv series that provided a prop for her career after she explained to him that she didn’t want to work for anyone and would love to become an actor. Her first acting project was a movie project called Memorial Hospital. This was in 1993 and she has never regretted her decision.

 

On coping as a single mother of three children, the actress said that her greatest regret was having to put her children into boarding schools. “That is one of the most painful things I have had to do. Whenever I talk about this, it always brings me close to tears,” she said. She further added that “children don’t beg parents to have them; we ask them to come to the world, so we should be able to take good care of them.” She said that she did what she had to do due to the pressure to be able to support them and provide them.

Following her failed marriage, she said that her decision not to remarry after her husband married another wife – which led to her leaving the marriage – was her desire to prove to him that she didn’t need a man to be able to survive. She then decided to dedicate her life to her children.  “I saw myself as equal to any man, regardless of how much money he might have. I give God the glory because I can pay my bills. I dedicated all my life to my job and my children. I became so busy and I was not ready to take any nonsense from men.”

However, the actress also said that she regretted not having fought for her marriage and advised young ladies to fight for theirs. “It was my mistake. I should have fought for it. Any young lady must try her best and fight for her marriage. My decision at that time might not have been the best, but I still thank God. I have my regrets too as a human being.”

Notwithstanding what had happened to cause the breakdown of her marriage, Oniga revealed that she played an active role during the burial of the father her children. “I participated in his burial with all I had. I spent my money, energy and I even invited artists,” she said. Adding further that she did that for the sake of her children. “I gave him a befitting burial. I did all that because of my children, especially my son. Later in life, people may ask him how they buried his father. He had to bury his father well and that was exactly what I did for him. I played the part my son would have played if he was an adult. That is my joy. Sometimes, I do things and people wonder what is wrong with me, but I always have my reasons.”

The actress also dwelt on her relationships with her parents especially her father who she said she was not close to. She also revealed some interesting thing about her pre-marital arrangement with the late father of her children who was a Muslim.

“My parents were not like that (did not object to her falling in love and wanted to marry a Muslim). Whatever we wanted to do, they allowed us to do it. They gave us free hands. Yes, the father of my children was a Muslim, but he was never a practising one. The agreement was that I would not leave my religion. We agreed that we could practise our different religions. But we had a mixed wedding because I wanted to receive Holy Communion. He agreed and we went for marriage counselling. Before the church’s blessing too, he had to sign an undertaking that he would not stop the children from following me to church. It was stated that when they clocked 18, they would take decisions on religion for themselves.”

 

PunchNG

 

 

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