By Patricia Uyeh,

A fortnight ago, Nigerian actress, Foluke Daramola Salako celebrated her 40th birthday.

In a recent interview, she talked about how she has managed to stay sane for the past 40 years in the harsh economic conditions in Nigeria.

Speaking to Saturday Beats, the actress said:

“The turbulent thing I have faced especially in a place like Nigeria is that we are practically under pressure as celebrities. People keep demanding things from us and they don’t care how we meet their demands. They put a lot of pressure on me. Being psychologically and emotionally stable in Nigeria for over 40 years has not been an easy task. People see the glamour on the television screen and believe that is how we live in reality.

” Being psychologically stable despite all odds like living up to expectation, the pressure of living the way you want to and also even differentiating reality from showbiz has not been easy. Those are my turbulent times. A good thing about being a celebrity, however, is that when you are known, you are celebrated and it opens doors for you. Being known gives you a voice when others are struggling to get a voice.”

Speaking on some of her life challenges, the actress made reference to her first marriage that crashed but she was happy to find love again.

She said:
 “Another turbulent time for me was when I had to leave my first marriage. I would say I left the marriage as a shadow of myself. When I left that marriage, I felt less than myself and I felt the world had come to an end. That was a time in my life that was very turbulent. What I dread most in my life is to have a broken home and I experienced it with my first marriage. So I would say that was a time in my life that was really turbulent. But a very lovely and good time in my life was when I met the man I am married to. It was a wonderful time in my life.”

Photo credit: Instagram@folukedaramolasalako