Former Big Brother Naija star and actor, Elozonam Ogbolu, has opened up on the impact of toxic masculinity and widespread myths surrounding what it means to be a man.
Speaking on a recent episode of the In The Company Of Men podcast hosted by Ikhane Akhigbe, Elozonam challenged beliefs that equate masculinity with emotional rigidity and dominance, saying acts like cooking, grocery shopping, or performing oral sex do not make a man any less masculine.
“When it comes to certain things that men are not accustomed to doing, I think it screams toxic masculinity,” he said. “Some guys think giving a woman head isn’t masculine. Serving a woman, doing things for her, buying groceries — a lot of toxic males don’t see these as manly.”
He condemned the discomfort some men feel when asked to purchase items like sanitary pads for their partners, questioning why such tasks should threaten their masculinity.
Elozonam also pointed out that toxic masculinity is sometimes reinforced by women who accept or prefer abusive behavior in relationships. “Some women have learned to equate toxicity with love,” he noted. “They can’t stand a man unless he’s toxic. Some even say, ‘The man doesn’t love you if he doesn’t beat you.’ How? Why?”
He called for a cultural shift, encouraging men to be more nurturing and emotionally available, while urging women to stop romanticising harmful traits.
