Veteran Nollywood actor Pete Edochie has advised married men against becoming financially dependent on their wives, saying a situation where a man relies on his wife for his basic needs could expose him to ridicule and emotional distress.
Edochie shared the advice during an appearance on Isbae U’s interview series, Curiosity Made Me Ask, where he reflected on his 57 years of marriage and the lessons he had gained from the experience.
Speaking about the responsibilities he believes come with marriage, the veteran actor urged men not to take the role of providing for their families lightly.
“I want you to listen properly. This is wisdom from somebody who has been in that institution for almost 60 years. I have been married for the past 57 years,” Edochie said.
He went on to describe what he believed could happen if circumstances forced a man to depend on his wife for food, arguing that such a situation could invite severe criticism.
“If things change and your wife has to feed you for two or three days, you would want to take poison. The kind of insult that will be heaped on you because your wife is feeding you, don’t ever think about it,” he said.
Edochie’s comments reflect his longstanding emphasis on traditional expectations regarding marriage and husbands’ responsibility to provide for their families.
However, his remarks have also touched on a broader and increasingly debated issue about financial roles within modern marriages. While traditional expectations often place the primary responsibility for providing on men, economic realities mean that many couples now rely on two incomes. In some households, women earn more than their husbands or become the main financial providers.
The actor’s comments are therefore likely to generate differing reactions, with some agreeing that men should strive for financial independence and fulfil their responsibilities, while others may argue that a wife supporting her husband financially should not automatically be viewed as a source of shame.
For Edochie, however, the warning was rooted in his own experience of marriage and his belief that men should work to provide for their families rather than become dependent on their spouses.
The veteran actor has remained one of Nollywood’s most recognisable figures, with a career spanning several decades. His latest comments have once again placed his views on marriage, family responsibilities and traditional gender roles at the centre of public discussion.
