Mary Njoku challenges ‘Gold Digger’ label against women, cites men living off rich friend
Nollywood actress Mary Remmy Njoku has raised questions about gender-based double standards concerning the benefits gained from wealthy individuals. In a recent social media post, she addressed the disparity in how men and women are perceived when they associate with affluent figures.
Njoku questioned the terminology used to describe 17 men who, she said, enjoy the privileges of a successful individual, referred to as his “boys.” She contrasted this situation with the negative label often applied to women who benefit from similar relationships, such as “gold diggers.”
Using a hypothetical example, Njoku described a man named Emeka, who, upon achieving success, surrounded himself with 17 adult men. She noted that these individuals partake in his hospitality—enjoying his meals, wearing clothes he has provided, and having their expenses covered—all while the dynamics of their relationship are framed as “brotherhood” and “loyalty.”
“The double standard isn’t that people love money,” Njoku stated. “It’s that when men benefit from proximity to wealth, we give the behavior a respectable name. When women do the same thing, we give it a dirty one.”
Njoku remarked that individuals of all genders—friends, relatives, and employees alike—are drawn to those whose wealth or status can enhance their lives.
