UK-based Cameroonian LGBTQ+ activist Bandy Kiki and her Nigerian wife Jenny have announced they are expecting a baby, sparking both warm congratulations and sharp criticism online.
The announcement, made via Kiki’s social media platforms on May 9, 2025, featured the couple holding ultrasound scan images. The caption read: “Our hearts and belly are growing 🍼❤️ We’re so excited for this new chapter.”
This news comes just weeks after the couple’s traditional wedding ceremony. The wedding stirred public discourse due to Kiki’s open identification as a lesbian and the wedding being officiated in the Nso language by another Nso woman.
A Historic, Yet Controversial Journey
Bandy Kiki, popularly known as “Shey Lesbian” online, is a prominent LGBTQ+ voice within the Cameroonian diaspora. She is known for challenging conservative norms and publicly embracing her identity despite backlash from cultural and religious leaders, especially from her native Nso community in Cameroon.
Her traditional wedding to Jenny, a Nigerian from the Ijaw ethnic group, ignited heated debate after it was revealed the ceremony involved traditional rites typically reserved for heterosexual unions. The Nso Cultural and Development Association (NSODA) issued a strong statement condemning the ceremony as “an insult to the dignity and pride of the Nso woman.”
Kiki responded by saying, “We weren’t just honoring tradition, we were expanding it, reimagining it, making space for more of us in it.”
Supportive and Critical Reactions to Pregnancy News
News of the pregnancy has generated a wave of mixed responses online. Many friends and supporters shared their excitement. There were several messages of ‘congratulations. “I’m so super excited for you! Congratulations 🥂,” wrote Nixx MG Malkia. “Congratulations and we can’t wait to see our rainbow baby,” added Mary’s World. Giovanni Rooney Miller further commented: “I screamed. Congratulations to you two, may your home be blessed with twins.”
Others, however, expressed scepticism or confusion about the biological logistics of two women expecting a child. “Who gave belle for who and how?” asked Tembang Tantoh. Dori Dori questioned: “If it’s Jenny, does it mean the baby will not be related to you biologically?” Kenndedy Nsame wrote: “You can only pretend that you people are excited. God can’t be mocked.”
Representation and Resistance
Bandy Kiki has long used her platform to promote LGBTQ+ visibility, gender justice, and reproductive autonomy. While she has not disclosed details about the conception process—such as the use of donor sperm or IVF—the announcement reinforces her message that queer families deserve public recognition and celebration.
Her decision to share personal milestones, including this pregnancy, is seen by supporters as a powerful counter-narrative to exclusion and erasure.
A Growing Family and Ongoing Debate
The couple’s announcement marks an important moment in their lives. However, it also highlights the broader cultural and ethical conversations playing out in the Cameroonian community and beyond.
In a region where same-sex relationships remain criminalised and heavily stigmatised, Bandy Kiki continues to challenge social boundaries. She does this by using personal visibility as a tool for activism.
As her family grows, so too does the conversation. It is a conversation about love, identity, biology, and the evolving definitions of family.
