He beat me for acting, but I never stopped

DDM News

(DDM) – Legendary Yoruba actress, Lanre Hassan, widely known as Iya Awero, has opened up on her difficult early life in Nollywood and her experience in an abusive marriage.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the 74-year-old veteran shared the emotional story during a recent interview with Behind the Fame African List, where she spoke candidly about the struggles she faced for choosing her career over societal expectations.

Iya Awero disclosed that her late husband, who once encouraged her passion for acting, later became violently opposed to it after marriage.

According to her, his attitude changed drastically once they tied the knot, despite having previously supported her stage performances and rehearsals.

She recounted how he started beating her anytime she returned from a film set, insisting that he had warned her not to continue acting.

“Our love story is a little powerful,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion.

“When we were dating, he came to my rehearsals and said he liked what I was doing. But after we married, he said I must stop.”

The veteran actress revealed that the marriage ended when her husband died at a young age.

However, the trauma of the experience made her vow never to remarry.

“If you say you want to remarry, do you know what you’ll meet where you’re going?” she asked rhetorically, indicating her fear of the unknown.

This is not the first time Iya Awero has spoken about the painful intersection of her career and personal life.

In a 2013 interview with Brandiconimage, she shared how her decision to continue acting caused deep conflict in her home.

“He thought I would quit acting after marriage, but I didn’t because I wasn’t stealing,” she said then.

“I told him, ‘If you can’t support me, then leave me alone.’”

Efforts by prominent theatre figures such as the late Adediran Ajijedidun and Baba Mero to mediate the rift between the couple proved unsuccessful.

The marital tension persisted until his death, according to her.

Despite all she endured, Iya Awero never gave up on the stage.

Born and raised in Lagos, she began acting in her teenage years and quickly rose to fame as a core member of the Ojo Ladipo Theatre Group.

The group would later evolve into the renowned Awada Kerikeri Organisation under the leadership of Adebayo Salami, popularly known as Oga Bello.

Her story is one of strength, sacrifice, and resilience in a male-dominated industry that often demanded silence from women.

Today, Iya Awero is celebrated not only for her immense talent but also for the battles she overcame behind the scenes.

Her revelation has reignited public conversations around domestic violence, gender roles, and the unspoken struggles of women in entertainment.

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