She wanted a tongue ring

Actor Bolanle Ninalowo revealed a heartfelt moment of understanding and compromise in his relationship with his 18-year-old daughter, Aliyah.

In a recent interview with VJ Adams, Bolanle discussed how he handled a tough request from his daughter.

Aliyah first requested permission to pierce her tongue, which made the actor uneasy. Bolanle reflected on his own childhood, stating that he never had the confidence to communicate such desires to his father when he was younger.

However, he noticed that Aliyah’s curiosity was influenced by her peers, as several of her friends had comparable piercings. The actor declined the tongue piercing but urged Aliyah to investigate alternative options.

Aliyah later suggested a navel piercing, which Bolanle found more acceptable.

He felt a navel ring could be easily removed if she changed her mind. He agreed to the idea of showing his support and building a stronger connection, and he even drove her to the appointment, covering the cost himself.

Recalling the moment, Bolanle said, “I remember one day my daughter woke me up and said she wanna get a tongue ring, and I took a moment to think then I said, ‘Yo Aliyah, a tongue ring, I wouldn’t want to kiss a girl with a tongue ring but think about something else,’ and she was like okay, I will think about it.

“So she came back and said, ‘I now know what I want, I could get a belly button ring,’ and I’m like that’s more like it because you can remove it anytime. I drove her there myself. As much as I would rather not want that, but that was an opportunity for me to connect, so I wouldn’t stop that.”

His revelation comes after a significant change in his personal life—his separation from his wife, Bunmi in September 2023 after 16 years of marriage.

Their union produced two children.