Nollywood actress, producer, and filmmaker Toyin Abraham has opened up about how her husband, actor Kolawole Ajeyemi, influenced her to quit smoking cigarettes after she became a mother. In a candid conversation on The Morayo Show on July 3, 2026, Abraham described the moment as a turning point that changed both her habits and how she views family boundaries.
Abraham, 39, said Ajeyemi first raised the issue when she was pregnant. His message was direct and preventative.
“My husband told me something when I got pregnant: ‘You know you can no longer smoke,’” she recalled.
At the time, Abraham said she used to smoke cigarettes. She still occasionally uses a vape, but she quit cigarettes entirely after that period.
The conversation, she explained, was not about control, but about responsibility. Pregnancy and impending motherhood, in Ajeyemi’s view, required a shift in lifestyle that prioritized the health and safety of their child.
The real test came after their baby was born. During a family outing, Ajeyemi saw Abraham smoking. He did not confront her publicly. Instead, he waited and set a clear boundary when they were alone.
“He told me that he did not say I should not smoke cigarettes, but he must not see the butt with his child,” Abraham said. “He warned that anytime he sees such, that would be the end of the marriage.”
She described the ultimatum as decisive. For Abraham, it was not just about smoking. It was about what kind of environment their child would grow up in. The idea of a cigarette butt being found around their baby was, for Ajeyemi, a non-negotiable breach of trust.
That conversation ended her cigarette habit. “He lets me be me,” she said of her husband, “but on th
Abraham framed Ajeyemi’s stance as protective rather than punitive. Motherhood, she said in past interviews, has reshaped many of her personal choices. The responsibility of raising a child made her re-examine habits she once considered private adult decisions.
By linking the rule directly to their child’s well-being, Ajeyemi made it harder to dismiss. It was not “don’t smoke,” it was “don’t let smoking touch our child’s world.” That distinction, Abraham said, is what made her comply without resentment.
She also noted that she still uses a vape occasionally, suggesting a harm-reduction approach rather than total abstinence from all nicotine products. The line her husband drew was specifically about cigarettes and the visible presence of smoking around their child.
Beyond smoking, Abraham used the interview to speak about how marriage has affected her career. She said Ajeyemi is “mature” and does not create conflict over her acting roles, including scenes that involve romance.
“My husband is mature. He is not a boy. He is a man,” she said. “Most of my colleagues’ wives are comfortable with me. I can do every other thing. But promiscuity is not one of them.”
She also addressed kissing scenes, a recurring topic for actresses in Nollywood. Abraham said she no longer takes such roles because her career standing has changed.
“God has blessed me with a platform now; I do not have to kiss anybody like years past,” she explained.
The comment reflects a broader shift for many established Nigerian actresses who, after years in the industry, choose projects and boundaries based on influence, brand, and personal conviction rather than necessity. For Abraham, the platform she has built now gives her the leverage
