JoyPrime panellist urges girls to date married men for money

A panellist identified as Vera has sparked widespread backlash after advising young women not to reject a married man if he is financially stable, saying they should “grab the opportunity”.

The comment was made during an episode of JoyPrime’s relationship discussion programme, Talk Your Shh, where panellists discussed romance, financial security and relationships with married men.

“If your good man is a married man, grab the opportunity, but be wise,” Vera said in a video clip shared by JoyPrime that has since gone viral on social media.

Many viewers criticised the statement, accusing Vera of encouraging young girls to enter relationships with married men for financial gain. Critics said the comment normalises infidelity, promotes dependence on wealthy men and ignores the emotional damage such relationships can cause to wives, children and families.

The debate was not entirely one-sided. Another panellist, Ama Watch, cautioned that many women waste years of their lives in relationships with married men and later regret their decisions. She said some women reach middle age after investing heavily in men who were never available for a committed relationship.

The viral exchange has revived a wider conversation about the financial pressures young women face, the appeal of “sugar daddy” relationships and the responsibility of television platforms when discussing sensitive issues around relationships and marriage.

JoyPrime shared clips of the conversation on its official social-media platforms, confirming that the footage came from the station’s programme. However, neither the station nor Vera had issued a further public response to the criticism at the time of reporting.