Veteran Nollywood star Bimbo Akintola has sparked mixed reactions online following her controversial take on cheating and polygamy.
During a podcast chat with fellow actress Ayo Adesanya, Akintola claimed that cheating is part of Nigerian culture, boldly stating that “90 to 99% of men cheat by default.”
The discussion kicked off after Adesanya read a letter from a lady complaining about her unfaithful partner. In response, Akintola argued that infidelity is not a modern-day issue but one passed down through generations, rooted in polygamous traditions and cultural upbringing.
She explained:
“The majority of our men cheat. Your father cheated, sir. Sorry, I’m sorry. Your grandfather did. Polygamy, polygamy. Yes, my father has two wives.”
Further stressing her point, she added:
“I don’t know where this idea of fidelity came from in Africa. The reality is 90% of our men cheat, it’s ingrained in them. Some even grew up following their fathers to see girlfriends.”
Akintola went on to advise women to be realistic with their expectations rather than living in denial.
“You leave one man because he cheated, you go to another, the same problem. Jay Z cheated on Beyoncé. Did she leave? No. So please, let’s talk about the reality we are facing,” she said.
Her comments quickly ignited debates across social media while some agreed with her stance on cultural influence, others slammed her for “encouraging and normalising” infidelity.
One Instagram user, @omah_licha_nwa, wrote: “lol these are the enablers of bad behavior that we keep talking about but ok go off sis 👏.”
Another, @bjay_9ja, commented: “But who fear DNA tests more?”