Judy Austin, the Nollywood actress, has advised young women to avoid marriage until they are fully mentally ready.
Drawing from her own personal experiences during a TikTok live session, Austin highlighted the detrimental effects of early marriage, pointing to widespread divorce and the struggles of single parenting as consequences of entering matrimony unprepared.
She emphasised that the decision to marry should never be rushed, specifically warning against marrying a man just because you are pregnant for him, a path she stated leads to regret.
Do not marry a man just because you are pregnant for him. You will regret it. The first question you should ask is, can I spend the rest of my life with this guy? This guy that is behaving like this, am I going to be able to love this guy, committed or roll with this guy? the actress asked.
Is it something I can do? You cannot make that decision if you are still a child. You cannot make that decision if you are not mentally ready for that kind of relationship.
Austin advocated for a period of personal growth and self-reliance before marriage. She encouraged young women to date and learn people, while understanding that ultimate trust should be placed in oneself and God.
Date people. Learn people. Understand that you cannot trust anybody except yourself and God. Understand that you need to show up for yourself before you expect any other person to show up for you, she added.
Grow. Work. Gain the shock absorber that you need and when you are ready pray to God to get you that person that you need. Hope that it happens. And when it happens, even if it does not work out for you. Do not regret.
You see, early marriage has damaged a lot of us. So many people are damaged because of early marriage. Many people are divorced because of early marriage. Many people are struggling to take care of children they do not have business taking care of. Some women also disappear after given birth too.
Yul Edochie unveiled Austin as his second wife in April 2022. Their marriage is blessed with three children.
The actress was previously married, but the union ended in 2013.
