Veteran Nollywood actress, Joke Silva has expressed deep concern over the increasing cases of women being killed by their partners in Nigeria, often over accusations of infidelity.
Her reaction follows the tragic death of Mrs. Chioma Nwaka, who was set on fire by her husband, Obiozor Nwaka, in Anambra over suspected cheating.
Speaking in an interview with “Saturday Beats”, Joke Silva condemned the acts, calling for life imprisonment for men who kill their partners.
“These men should be tried and put in jail for life because it is a capital offence. The law should take its course because it’s ridiculous. Men cheat all the time. Do they get killed? Do they get burnt? What rubbish is that? Where’s the proof that she cheated?
“And what about the man who she cheated with, what would happen to him? Is he supposed to go scot-free?” she questioned.
The movie star emphasized that even in cases where cheating is proven, violence is never the answer.
Joke Silva reminded everyone that the women being killed are also daughters and mothers.
“It’s so bad. Even if there’s evidence of cheating, why can’t you just carry your bag and leave? Or send the woman back to her parents?
“If you investigate properly, you’ll probably find that the murderer has cheated a million times, yet he’s killing his partner in one instance.
“The women who are dead now are people’s children and mothers too,” she said.
When asked about the role of the entertainment industry in addressing the issue, Silva said, “How much advocacy do you want the industry to do? One of the best forms of advocacy is enforcing sanctions for bad behaviour. This isn’t just bad behaviour; it is criminal.”
KanyiDaily recalls that Joke Silva recently addressed a controversial comment by her colleague, Pete Edochie, that feminism is the major cause of domestic violence against women in marriage.