Tina Mba has advised up-and-coming actresses not to sacrifice their careers for the sake of romantic relationships or marriage.
In an interview on Lights, Camara – It’s My Turn, the ace actress emphasised that actors should never feel pressured to quit their profession after tying the knot, especially if their partners knew and accepted their careers from the beginning.
Mba stressed the importance of recognizing early signs of control in relationships and having honest conversations about career expectations before marriage.
She advised that, if necessary, couples should establish clear agreements to protect each other’s professional aspirations before walking down the aisle.
“He met you, an actor; he married you, an actor; there was no issue of you are going to leave this job if we were going to get married because I am insecure or because we need to raise our children. No discussion or whatever,” she said.
“Then you got married thinking that now you are going to fly, and then the man comes and tells you, ‘No, you’re going to sit.
“See, the signs are always there. Don’t ignore it. Watch him, watch her. You need to have a discussion with the person.
“If need be, you need to sign an undertaken that you would not make me leave my career. Because did he leave his job?”
Mba, who is in her late 50s, acknowledged the importance of marriage but argued that no one should feel trapped in a relationship that stifles their growth
“Marriage is important but nobody put a gun to my head or to your head to do it. There are so many people in this world. If this didn’t work, another may work,” she said.
“You will meet a soulmate, someone who will be there for you through it all. Just be true to yourself. Don’t go for the dazzles, be an antique babe like me.”
Born in Delta, Mba is a native of Enugu and the first of seven children. She is a single mother with two children namely Tania and Joseph.