Mary Njoku Questions 'Gold Digger' Label for Women

Nollywood actress Mary Remmy Njoku has publicly challenged the societal label of "gold digger" often assigned to women who benefit from wealthy men. In a social media post, she questioned the terminology used for 17 men who enjoy the wealth of a successful man, referred to as his “boys” rather than being labeled as gold diggers.

Njoku provided the example of a man named Emeka, who, after achieving success, surrounded himself with 17 grown men who benefit from his generosity by eating his food, wearing clothes he purchased, and having their bills paid. She pointed out that their relationship is framed as “brotherhood,” “networking,” and “loyalty,” contrasting it with the negative connotation women face in similar situations.

Njoku argued that the double standard lies in the different perceptions of men and women benefiting from proximity to wealth, stating that while men’s behavior is respected, women’s is often disparaged.