Yvonne Nelson Praises Her Estranged Mother As She Celebrates Her 40th Birthday

• Yvonne Nelson, a popular Ghanaian actress, turned 40 on November 12, 2025, and shared a video to mark the milestone
• In her emotional video, Yvonne Nelson shared her life journey and thanked people who have been helpful throughout
• She particularly mentioned her estranged mother, Madam Margaret Gaddy, and stated why she was grateful for her

Ghanaian actress, Yvonne Nelson, expressed her gratitude to those who have been helpful throughout her life and career as she turned 40 on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.

The founder and owner of Yvonne Nelson International School shared a video to mark her milestone birthday, where she looked back on her life from her childhood to the present day.

In a video, she started by sharing her birth and growth in Dansoman, a suburb of Accra, through to her education and beauty pageant days.

She also spoke on how she got into the movie industry, becoming a mother, and what got her into the education sector.

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After reflecting on her life's journey, Yvonne Nelson stated that she needed to appreciate specific people in her life.

"In retrospect, I've had an amazing life. A lot of people have helped me get to where I am today," she said.

Yvonne Nelson acknowledges her estranged mother

Yvonne Nelson and her mother, Madam Margaret Gaddy, had a strained relationship over the years regarding questions about the identity of her biological father.

In her 2023 memoir titled 'I Am Not Yvonne Nelson,' which touched on her life story, including her career and personal struggles, the actress detailed that she had not had an encounter with her mother since her birthday in 2022.

She recounted a heated confrontation she had with her mother before cutting off personal communication with her and detailed how their strained relationship had emotionally impacted her life.

However, she said she was most grateful to her mother for giving birth to her.

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"My mother is one of them. She is number one on the list. I am thankful for her bringing me into the world."

The actress mentioned other people, including Abdul Salam, Frank Raja, Pascal Amanfo, Francis, her manager and her daughter Ryn Nelson Roberts.

"She came into this world, and everything changed. I became more focused. I started taking better care of myself, healthwise, because you don't want to leave your kids behind. You want to grow old and grey. I want to see my grandkids and great-grandkids. She changed a lot. I became more hardworking. I stopped spending too much. So, she's my lifesaver."

Watch the video below:

Netizens celebrate Yvonne Nelson on her birthday

YEN.com.gh collated some reactions to the snippet of the video shared by Yvonne Nelson on Facebook. Read them below:

Raw Gold Kelly said:

"Yyvone Dey 40 oo buh Shatta say he dey 37 herh 😂😂😂😂."

Bright Kodom wrote:

"Happy birthday to the princess who walks everyone out of the supermarket."

King Wise II said:

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"Welcome to the 4th floor. May all the lines fall in pleasant places. Cheers 🍻."

Mils Haven wrote:

"I've always wanted to celebrate my birthday with you, not because we celebrate the same birthday. But you've been my role model for the past 16years.. and people around me could testify to that. Happy birthday to us."

Owusu Collins said:

"Happy Birthday to someone who's not getting older, just levelling up in life."

Nana Kwesi Suave Acquaye wrote:

"You’ve held it on my dear. You have overcome a lot. Yet, you stood strong. The most successful actor in Ghana. Both last and present. No cap 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾."

My Fashion Gallery said:

"Happy 40th birthday to the gorgeous Yvonne Nelson! As a kid, I grew up watching and admiring your talent. Thank you for bringing style and elegance to our screens. Here's to a new chapter of greatness and many more years of beauty, success, and inspiration! 🎉💃🏽🎂"

Yvonne Nelson’s daughter shows off new look

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported on Yvonne Nelson's daughter, Ryn Nelson Roberts, showed off her look after visiting the salon.

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The little girl looked excited as she showed off her new hairstyle, with several netizens commenting on the actress's child.

Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh