Popular Nollywood actor Jim Iyke has stirred public debate after describing modern feminism as a distorted ideology that has lost its original purpose and now borders on “a crime.”
Speaking in a recent interview with The EchoRoom, the 48-year-old actor argued that feminism began as a just cause to fight patriarchy and address gender imbalance but has now been hijacked by an agenda that encourages rivalry between men and women.
“I consider it a crime, a kind of assault,” Iyke said. “It started with a clever campaign, driven by a popular magazine targeting women. It pushed women to challenge the status quo and compete with men — not for equality, but as rivals.”
Iyke further claimed that what was once a movement for empowerment has become a marketing tactic that was taken too far and is now embraced by some as a lifestyle.
“They decided they didn’t need men anymore. They went from ‘we can do what men can do’ to ‘we can do it better.’ Now it’s out of control and has become a cultural standard,” he said.
The actor expressed concern over what he called the “double standard” of modern feminism, arguing that instead of promoting partnership between genders, it encourages division.
“I believe men and women have different roles, and true balance comes from working together, not trying to outdo one another,” he said.
Jim Iyke’s comments have drawn mixed reactions online, with some agreeing with his stance, while others criticised it as dismissive of ongoing struggles for women’s rights and equality.
