Nollywood actor Uzor Arukwe has questioned the institution of marriage, saying he has never been a strong advocate for it because he believes women bear more responsibilities and challenges within the union.
The actor made this known during an interview on the In My Opinion podcast, where he discussed societal expectations surrounding marriage and the pressure often placed on women to settle down.
According to Arukwe, women go through pregnancy and childbirth, adopt their husbands’ surnames and shoulder several other responsibilities associated with raising a family.
He said these demands had shaped his perspective on marriage, adding that society was gradually recognising that a woman’s identity and worth were not determined by her marital status.
“I’ve never really been an advocate for marriage because I feel like it is more tasking for the woman. She’s the one who bears the children, takes the man’s last name, and has to deal with a lot of things. So, I feel society is now beginning to catch on to the fact that marriage doesn’t define or make a woman,” he said.
The actor also reflected on the pressure women faced in the past to marry by a certain age, noting that people often questioned those who remained unmarried in their mid-twenties or thirties.
“Growing up, people would ask you why you weren’t married at 25 or 30 and talk about how they already had five children by that age. Now, there are even women who don’t want to have children. I’ve met at least two or three,” he added.
Arukwe’s comments highlight changing attitudes towards marriage and parenthood, as well as growing discussions about societal expectations and women’s personal choices.
