Veteran Nigerian actor Pete Edochie has condemned the use of physical violence against women, insisting that beating a wife does not make a man heroic.
Speaking about marriage and the values that have helped sustain his own 57-year marriage, the actor said there was no justification for a man to resort to physical force against his wife.
“I have been married for 57 years, and nobody has ever come into my house to say, ‘Oh, Pete, please stop beating this woman,’” he said.
According to Pete Edochie, disagreements are a natural part of marriage, but they should be handled through communication rather than violence.
He suggested that when a woman feels she has hurt her husband, she can reflect on her actions, apologise and work towards resolving the disagreement.
He stressed that there is simply no need for a man to strike a woman or be physically aggressive towards her.
“If you beat your wife, you’re not a hero. There is no point striking a woman, for God’s sake. It doesn’t make you a hero. There is nothing respectful about it and that does not demonstrate strength in any way.”
The veteran actor also spoke about his view of marriage in African society, comparing marital longevity in Africa with shorter marriages among some Western public figures.
He argued that Africans should not feel compelled to copy every aspect of Western culture, particularly when it comes to marriage and family life.
“It’s not everything that the white man does that we must try to emulate,” he said, adding that African marriages can withstand difficulties for considerably longer periods.
His comments come at a time when conversations around domestic violence continue to draw attention following leaked videos of alleged domestic abuse against actress Nana Akua Addo.
