By Olamide Jasanya
Away from the many sad tales that have beset the nation’s movie industry in recent times; Nollywood, as it is fondly called, has something good to offer and it’s the baby boom.
This isn’t another movie title, but it seems the most appropriate tag to give the unusual expectation of at least five babies from actresses before the end of the year.
The good news hit the media recently that actresses: Uche Jombo, Mercy Johnson, Damilola Adegbite, Nse Ikpe-Etim, and Uche Ogbodo are pregnant and expected to put to bed in a matter of months.
While the trio of Adegbite, Ikpe-Etim and Jombo have kept sealed lips on the matter, nature gave Ogbodo (whose husband is reportedly based in Norway) out as she was recently spotted at a friend’s bridal shower with her bump safely tucked in a white skirt and blouse.
Mercy Johnson, on the other hand, has publicly confirmed her state to her fans and friends. She did this via twitter when she responded, ‘lol yeah dear u can pop’, to the question, ‘mama, no 2 na true?! Abeg confirm d news mk we pop champagne bcos e no easy. Am waiting ooooo! Pls tell us if d news is true’ as asked by one of her fans @visquared4real.
The silence of the remaining three haven’t stopped their fans from congratulating them, with most eagerly expecting pictures of baby bumps to hit the internet soon.
While we may be unable to tell what the sexes of the kids will be, here is the order in which we expect them to be delivered. First should be Uche Ogbodo, who we gather is in her second trimester and hardly goes out due to the pregnancy stress. She is reported to be turning down script offers and giving attention to her health and her baby’s as advised by her doctor.
Ogbodo is likely to set the ball rolling sometime in late June or early July. She will be followed closely by another first timer, Uche Jombo, who reportedly is equally heavy but still manages to combine it with shooting movies. She recently wrapped up her latest flick, ‘Oge’s Sister‘ under the directives of colleague, Desmond Elliot, but this, we gather, might be her last week of stress as she is expected to join her husband, Kenny Rodriguez, in the US and have a quiet delivery/naming ceremony like they did their wedding in 2012. She is likely to put to bed in late July or early August.
We reported recently that Akwa Ibom State born Nse Ikpe-Etim is pregnant and has joined her University lecturer hubby in the UK. The actress, another first-timer, is in her first trimester and seems determined to enjoy her pregnancy period, which explains why she has been off the radar and only tweeting occasionally. She is expected to make her husband, Clifford Sule, (who already has a 13-year-old son) a father again sometime in late August or early September.
Mercy Johnson, the only experienced one on the list, is next. Reports have it that the screen darling is already four months into the nine-month programme, hence, she is expected to delight her husband and fans with another baby in late September or early October.
The last on the list is Damilola Adegbite, whose April 12 wedding was postponed because of her state. She and her Ghanaian lover, Chris Attoh, are expected to leave the country soon to begin preparations for the birth of their first child, who is likely to be delivered later in October in either the UK or the US.
As the months roll by, stay glued to NET as we count down to the birth of these five super star babies.