Actor Bolanle Ninalowo has shared a touching moment of understanding and compromise in his relationship with his 18-year-old daughter, Aliyah.
In a recent interview with VJ Adams, Bolanle opened up about how he handled a delicate request from his daughter.
Aliyah initially asked for permission to pierce her tongue, a request that made the actor uncomfortable. Reflecting on his own upbringing, Bolanle noted that he never had the courage to express such desires to his father when he was younger.
However, he recognised that Aliyah’s interest stemmed from peer influence, as many of her friends had similar piercings. The actor declined the tongue piercing but encouraged Aliyah to consider other options.
Aliyah later suggested a navel piercing, which Bolanle found more acceptable.
He felt a navel ring could be easily removed if she changed her mind. To show his support and build a stronger connection, he agreed to the idea and even drove her to the appointment, covering the cost himself.
Recalling the moment, Bolanle said, “I remember one day my daughter woke me up and said she wanna get a tongue ring, and I took a moment to think then I said, ‘Yo Aliyah, a tongue ring, I wouldn’t want to kiss a girl with a tongue ring but think about something else,’ and she was like okay, I will think about it.
“So she came back and said, ‘I now know what I want, I could get a belly button ring,’ and I’m like that’s more like it because you can remove it anytime. I drove her there myself. As much as I would rather not want that, but that was an opportunity for me to connect, so I wouldn’t stop that.”
His revelation comes after a significant change in his personal life—his separation from his wife, Bunmi in September 2023 after 16 years of marriage.
Their union produced two children.
