Veteran actor Emeka Ike says love is not a scam. He warns against dating for money and advises women to avoid misleading relationship advice
Veteran Nollywood actor Emeka Ike has stirred fresh conversations after sharing his honest opinion about love, marriage, and modern relationships. Speaking during an interview with BBC News Pidgin, the actor said love is still beautiful. However, he believes many people now destroy relationships because of money. According to him, marriage is not the problem. Instead, people’s wrong intentions are.
Speaking further, Emeka Ike said some people enter relationships only because of what they hope to gain financially. He explained that this selfish mindset turns love into a scam. In his words,
“Love and marriage is not scam. But there are a few people that are hungry, that are using relationship as a meal ticket. That’s where it becomes a scam.”
He added that relationships should be built on trust, honesty, and genuine care instead of financial benefits.
The actor also criticised women who choose partners because of money. He said such people should stop using relationships as a way to survive financially. According to him,
“So plenty of girls are going into relationships because of what they want to get, wetin dey wan collect from the man. They should just go and be begging for money on the streets, not using relationship. Relationship is supposed to be sacred.”
His comments have since sparked mixed reactions across social media, with many Nigerians agreeing while others disagreed with his opinion.
Emeka Ike also advised women to be careful about the relationship advice they follow online. He warned against listening to people whose marriages have failed and who now give marriage tips on social media. He said every relationship is different and should be handled with patience and understanding.
“Good girls should not listen to those women whose marriages have scattered and they come online to give wrong marriage advice. People endure in relationship. People try to find out the problem of their spouse in relationship. People try to solve it. Don’t just be with them for financial gains,” he said
Emeka Ike became one of Nollywood’s biggest stars after featuring in several successful movies in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In recent years, however, he has also made headlines over his troubled marriage to his former wife, which ended in a widely reported divorce after years of legal battles and public disagreements. The actor has often spoken about the emotional impact of that period on his life and career.
Despite the controversy, he has remained active in the entertainment industry and continues to share his views on relationships, family, and other social issues.
