Nigerian actress, singer and reality TV personality, Bisola Aiyeola, has defended her choice to forbid her teenage daughter, Leyla from using mobile phones.
Bisola stated that she has refused to allow Leyla, who turned 15 on June 12, 2024, to use a phone since she began school, and that this will continue until the girl reaches the age of 16.
The former Big Brother Naija participant made the disclosure on a recent episode of “Mums Next Door” alongside reality star Maria Chike Benjamin, where she also addressed criticism about her parenting approach.
Despite social media criticism, the mother of one stated that she stands by her decision and that her child can access a laptop for education and interact with pals using Zoom.
Bisola also recounted discovering that Leyla had opened a smart chat account on her laptop, which resulted in an extension of the phone ban for another year.
She said: “Yes, I have been judged by my parenting skills. So, my daughter turned 15 this year and still doesn’t have a phone. I have been pretty strict with that part of her life, and she begged. I told her she wouldn’t have a phone till she was 16, so she still had one more year to go. And people have been asking me, like, what if there is an emergency?
“Wouldn’t she be behind her pairs and all, but she has a laptop for school work? If her friends need to talk to her, they can call her on Zoom. Sometimes, people feel like I am overdoing it, or I am trying to be overprotective, and I am like, well, that’s your business.
“There was a time I found out she opened a smart chat account on a laptop, and I was like, how? I disciplined her, which made me extend her phone usage by a year because she was supposed to get it this year at 15.”
