Nigerian Men Can Only Offer Money in Relationships, says Toke Makinwa

Nollywood actress and media personality Toke Makinwa has pushed back against the common narrative that modern Nigerian women are overly materialistic and enter relationships primarily for financial gain.

Appearing on a recent episode of the MENtality podcast hosted by Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, Makinwa argued that relationships have always been somewhat transactional throughout history — from the biblical Garden of Eden to the time of their parents.

She placed much of the blame on Nigerian men, stating that they often have little else to offer besides money.“From time immemorial, a relationship between a man and a woman has always been transactional… And the degree at which it is happening now, I will blame the men. Sometimes, that [financial benefits] is all men have to offer,” she said.

Makinwa added that Nigerian men “don’t have games aside from money.” According to her, once many men make money, they tend to lavish it on attractive women rather than building genuine connections.

“Sometimes, you meet a man and you want to know him but he is offering you money,” she noted.

“Men have offered women the strangest things and it made me realise that men feel cash is all they need to show you. Most girls who are materialistic today, men taught them how to make demands.”