Dating for money is the real scam — Emeka Ike

Veteran Nollywood actor Emeka Ike has said love and marriage are not scams, arguing that relationships only become deceptive when people enter them with hidden financial motives.

Speaking in an interview with BBC News Pidgin, which began trending on Friday, the actor said genuine love remains beautiful and should be founded on sincerity rather than material gain.

According to Ike, relationships become fraudulent when one partner conceals their true intentions and pursues the other solely for financial benefits.

He criticised individuals who view romantic relationships as a means of survival, saying they should not use love as a tool to obtain money or other personal benefits.

“Love is beautiful. Relationship is beautiful. To find a person who will like you, na sweet matter,” he said, adding that pretending to be in love for selfish reasons amounts to deception.

The actor maintained that love is the foundation of every healthy relationship and urged Nigerians to stop undermining its value through insincere intentions.

He also advised women not to allow social media to shape their expectations of marriage, noting that every relationship is different and requires patience, understanding and mutual support.

According to Ike, couples should focus on resolving challenges together rather than comparing their marriages with those portrayed online.

He further urged women to build their own relationships instead of relying on advice from people whose marriages have failed, stressing that no two relationships are exactly the same.