In recent days, the topic of surrogacy has dominated conversations across Nigerian social media, following a controversial statement made by lifestyle influencer and founder of DANG, Ifedayo Agoro.
Speaking on a public platform, Agoro boldly stated:
“I have a womb. I’m perfectly healthy. I’m still going to use a surrogate. You don’t owe anybody any medical report, apology, or an explanation.”
This comment particularly because it dismissed medical necessity and framed surrogacy as a matter of convenience and sparked immediate backlash online, igniting discussions around the ethics, cultural values, and legal implications of surrogacy in Nigeria.
Surrogacy remains largely unregulated in Nigeria. While it is not illegal, there are no comprehensive national laws guiding its practice, leaving medical institutions, legal advisors, and intended parents to operate within a legal grey zone. Surrogacy arrangements often raise concerns about exploitation, child trafficking, and the lack of protection for both surrogate mothers and commissioning parents.
In the past, surrogacy was typically viewed as a last resort, an option explored by couples facing infertility or other serious health challenges. Agoro’s assertion that she would choose surrogacy without any medical justification disrupts this narrative and, to many, trivializes a deeply sensitive process.
Contrary to what some may have anticipated, the majority of Nigerians, particularly women strongly condemned Agoro’s stance.
Across platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, commenters expressed disbelief and disappointment, suggesting that the influencer’s view reflected a dangerous detachment from social responsibility.
Popular comedian and media personality Woli Arole was among the first public figures to respond:
“Surrogacy is for women who truly can’t carry. This is not about being woke. Pregnancy is a blessing from God. Why run away from it?”
Many echoed his sentiments, emphasizing that motherhood should not be treated as an optional burden for those who simply have the financial means to outsource it.
Additional responses from Nigerian users included:
“This is the most tone-deaf take I’ve seen in a while.”
“This isn’t empowerment, it’s privilege disguised as progress.”
“If this becomes normalized, what happens to the dignity of surrogate mothers? Are they just vessels for hire now?”
“We’re slowly losing the values that hold our society together.”
Beyond emotional reactions, Agoro’s statement has resurfaced complex ethical questions that many Nigerians are still grappling with:
Is surrogacy without medical necessity morally acceptable?
In a country where access to quality healthcare remains limited for many, the idea of treating surrogacy as a luxury is seen by many as out-of-touch.What protections exist for surrogate mothers in Nigeria?
Without legal safeguards, surrogate mothers may face exploitation, inadequate compensation, or worse, abandonment and trauma.Can societal values adapt to modern reproductive choices?
As technology advances and new family-building options emerge, Nigeria’s largely conservative society is being challenged to rethink long-held beliefs about motherhood and womanhood.
Agoro’s argument centered around choice and bodily autonomy, the idea that women should not be required to explain their reproductive decisions to anyone. However, critics argue that her framing overlooks the cultural weight of childbirth in Nigerian society, and ignores the potential consequences of normalizing commercial surrogacy.
To many, her declaration wasn’t progressive, it was provocative, insensitive, and reflective of class privilege.
The surrogacy conversation sparked by Ifedayo Agoro’s remarks has opened up broader reflections on what freedom of choice really looks like, and whether all choices, especially those involving other people’s bodies, should be beyond scrutiny.
While the backlash has been sharp, it has also been instructive. Nigerians, young and old are ready to engage in deeper conversations around modern parenting, gender roles, and ethical reproductive practices. But if anything is clear from the outrage, it’s that when it comes to surrogacy in Nigeria, context matters, intentions matter, and culture still holds weight.
