In a heartfelt interview with Tope on Love Notes, Nollywood veteran Norbert Young and his wife, Gloria, shared their emotional journey through seven years of childlessness.
The interview, which gained significant attention on Sunday, revealed how the experience deeply affected them both individually and as a couple.
While Gloria expressed the emotional weight of the period, Norbert maintained that he never considered it a challenge. “I didn’t see it as a challenge,” he explained, recalling how he would reassure Gloria, saying, “What are you worried about? What is it? Be calming down.”
Norbert further shared the perspective he gained from his own family’s experience, noting that his sister had been married for 16 years without a child before having one in her 17th year.
He said, “Her husband never told her to leave. That child today is a medical doctor—a big man too. So what’s the big deal? It didn’t threaten our union at all.”
However, Gloria admitted that the pressure was real for her, sharing how Norbert’s calmness contrasted with her anxiety. “He never did. But I was the one feeling it,” she said. “And he was the one telling me, ‘What is it? Stop worrying about such things.'”
When asked about societal pressure, Gloria described the subtle yet painful looks she would receive from relatives at family gatherings.
“Nobody in his family did. But I would go to my own family gatherings, and not asking per se, but imagine you’re walking into the room, and one aunty looks at you, makes sure that you know she’s looking at you then her eyes go down to your stomach.”
Norbert, on the other hand, laughed off any societal pressure, stating firmly, “Them born you well come ask me that? Nobody in my family asked me.”
The couple’s candid conversation sheds light on their resilience and understanding of each other, highlighting how they navigated a challenging but ultimately strengthening phase in their marriage.
