Veteran Nollywood actor Jim Iyke has stirred controversy online after making bold statements against modern feminism, describing it as a “crime” that has lost its original purpose and now promotes gender division.
In a recent interview with The EchoRoom, the 48-year-old actor criticized what he views as the distortion of feminist ideology, arguing that while early feminism tackled real societal challenges like patriarchy and gender inequality, the modern version has become an extreme and counterproductive narrative.
“I consider it a crime, a kind of assault,” Iyke said. “The perpetrators of this… clearly, I would not name the magazine… launched a clever campaign to push sales. Who were their chief readers? Women. So they devised an ideology that allowed women to challenge the status quo and compete with men in the same space.”
Iyke alleged that a women’s magazine was responsible for amplifying this ideology as a marketing tool, which eventually spiraled into a movement that encouraged women to completely reject male roles and adopt a “we don’t need men” mentality.
He added that what was once a fight for balance has now morphed into hostility and rivalry between genders, with some women adopting feminism as a lifestyle or cultural trend, rather than as a tool for equity and collaboration.
“They decided that this whole ideology of ‘we do not need a man, anything a man can do we can do better’… escalated, and blew it out of proportion. Now it has been adopted as a lifestyle and a new cultural standard,” he said.
“Double Standards Undermine Feminist Goals”
Jim Iyke also took aim at what he described as the “double standards” within modern feminist discourse. According to him, true gender harmony is achieved when both sexes embrace their distinct but complementary roles.
“The double standard of it all is what makes me question the ideology in the first place. Do you not understand the falsehood of it? The two-faced approach to it?” he asked.
“I believe men and women have distinct roles and when they work together in harmony, that is when true balance is achieved. That is what they are yet to understand.”
Public Reactions Expected
While Iyke is no stranger to controversy, his recent remarks are likely to spark debate, particularly among advocates of gender equality and women’s rights. Many may view his comments as dismissive of the lived experiences and structural inequalities that feminism continues to address.
As of now, the actor has not issued any follow-up statement or clarification.
