star actress, Mercy Aigbe, has recounted the experience she went through in her marriage with her former husband, Lanre Gentry.
According to her, the domestic violence she went through was hellish.
In a Youtube broadcast, Aigbe said marriage was overrated and not as compulsory as mothers made it to be.
She noted, “Our mothers brought us up, as women, to take whatever our partners do to us. They tell us to take it because we want to remain in a man’s house. To me, it is not an achievement. Let’s just say as it is– marriage is overrated. It takes two people to make it work; it’s not just about the women. But, everybody keeps heaping all the responsibilities on the woman. That shouldn’t be.
“The first time the slap came, it felt like I was dreaming. I wasn’t expecting it and I was shocked beyond words. I didn’t know it was going to happen but it happened. The begging would then come after that. Once a man raises his hand to hit you, he is going to do it over and again. However, because it was my second attempt (at marriage), I was ready to make it work, even with all the violence. I was there hoping and praying. I just wanted a happy home.
“The incident that broke the camel’s back was the one where I almost died. The beating was horrible. People often say actresses don’t want to remain married. Who told them that? (You think) being a celebrity doesn’t make me human? Does (being a celebrity) mean I don’t want to have a happy home? They say actresses are promiscuous but promiscuity is not (the exclusive preserve of) any profession. When mine (break-up) happened, it wasn’t easy because I am a celebrity. I read a lot of things online. Some people even said I made it up. But, nobody can dictate to me how to live my life.”
