Actress Ini Edo has opened up about her emotional surrogacy journey, explaining how she developed a bond with the woman who carried her child.
Speaking at the Meet Surrogate Mothers IVF Conference held in Lagos, the 43-year-old stressed the importance of empathy and mutual respect in surrogacy, describing her experience as “intimate and not transactional.”
“The surrogate who carried my child was not a stranger… she was a woman with her own family, her values, and her dreams,” she said.
She stressed her active involvement throughout prenatal care, medical decisions, emotional support, highlighting that while she didn’t carry the baby physically, they birthed the journey together:
“Even though they are not physically carrying this child, they sort of walk the journey together. So when people reduce surrogacy to being just a baby factory, I think they erase these layers of humanity.”
Ini, 43, welcomed her daughter via surrogacy in late 2021. She used a donor to avoid custody drama and said at the time that she wanted her daughter to have peace and be protected.
At the conference, Ini urged for laws that protect the rights of intended mothers and surrogates. She backed the House of Representatives’ proposal to ban commercial surrogacy and instead allow only altruistic arrangements that cover necessary medical and pregnancy-related expenses.
“We need a new narrative… ethical surrogacy, grounded in informed consent, legal protection, and mutual respect,” she said.
“Nigerian law should recognise and protect the rights of mothers through surrogacy, ensuring full legal parentage and avoiding court disputes.”
According to her, surrogacy should not be viewed as a factory but as a bridge “between the impossible and the miraculous.”
She added, “It’s not perfect. It needs revelation, transparency, and empathy. But it’s not a factory… it’s a bridge… between despair and joy.”
The former Akwa Ibom State special adviser described motherhood as more than biology.
“Motherhood is more than biology… a surrogate may carry the baby, but the intended mother gives the child a home and a life,” she said.
She concluded by encouraging women to embrace their own path to parenthood.
“There’s no wrong way to become a parent. There’s only your way and your story… as long as you’re within the laws.”
Ini began her acting career in the early 2000s and has since starred in over 200 films.
