Iyanaladuke, the former wife of veteran Nollywood actor Femi Adebayo, has marked her birthday with an emotional reflection on how much her life changed after she turned 40.
The mother of one shared a throwback picture on Instagram on Friday, September 18, 2026, revealing that the photograph was taken four years ago when she celebrated her 40th birthday.
Rather than simply post a fresh birthday picture, Iyanaladuke used the occasion to reflect on the unexpected events that followed what she initially believed would be the beginning of a beautiful new chapter.
According to her, her family had recently relocated to Lagos and moved into a large mansion at the time, leaving her optimistic about what the future held.
“Life begins at 40, and I genuinely thought I was ready for it,” she wrote. “Little did I know that what was ahead of me was far bigger than anything I could have imagined.”
Iyanaladuke speaks about hidden envy
Iyanaladuke also recalled how she celebrated her 40th birthday with only people she considered close to her.
However, she suggested that some individuals within her circle were not as happy for her as they appeared.
“Some people smiled with me while secretly envying what they saw. And somewhere behind those smiles, plans were already being made,” she wrote.
Although her message hinted at difficult experiences that followed, Iyanaladuke did not disclose all the details of what happened or identify the people she was referring to.
Instead, she said her birthday was an opportunity to reflect on the lessons she had learnt from the challenging period.
She specifically pointed to the period between October 2024 and September 2026 as a time that taught her important lessons about life and relationships.
Her reflective birthday message comes after the reported collapse of her marriage to Femi Adebayo, with the actress choosing to speak about her experiences in broad terms rather than provide a detailed account of the events that unfolded.
See the post below:
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The post has since drawn attention from fans and followers, many of whom were interested in the story behind her cryptic remarks.
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