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Nollywood star Destiny Etiko has once again found herself at the centre of intense public speculation, this time over a baby whose striking resemblance to her has sparked debates, online theories, and even whispers of possible surrogacy.

What began as an innocent moment involving a child posted online for resembling the actress, spiralled into one of the most talked-about on social media for the past few days.

Immediately, social media erupted with claims that the child looked too much like Etiko to be a coincidence after the actress claimed she’s not her child.

The actress, known for her emotional roles and vibrant social media presence, recently posted photos and videos with the baby girl after meeting with her mother and she flew in from Enugu alongside the child’s mother for a movie project.

Some online users went further to allege that the woman presented as the baby’s mother might actually be a surrogate, hinting at a clandestine arrangement allegedly designed to protect Destiny Etiko’s figure or avoid public scrutiny, an accusation often thrown at female celebrities.

Adding fuel to the rumour mill, commenters compared the baby’s facial features with that of the actress, insisting that the resemblance was “genetic, not coincidental,” while claiming there was little or no resemblance between the baby and the woman identified as her mother.

The actress responded in her usual humorous style, expressing surprise over the resemblance and jokingly asking,
“Why God carry my pikin go give another person, wetin I do?”
But her light-hearted reaction did little to calm the theories that continued to swirl online.

A TikTok influencer had even publicly urged Etiko to undergo a DNA test to clarify the situation, though no such test has been conducted or publicly mentioned by the actress.

Despite the viral attention, there is no verified evidence to suggest that the baby is hers or that a surrogacy arrangement exists. Etiko has maintained that the child is a cast member in her upcoming film.

However, the conversation around surrogacy and celebrity motherhood in Nollywood continues to broaden. Observers often reference actress Ini Edo, who openly welcomed her daughter via surrogacy, as an example of stars opting for motherhood outside natural pregnancy for personal or professional reasons.