‘If Men Are Forgiven For Cheating, Women Should Too’ — Rita Edochie Fumes

Rita Edochie, the ace Nigerian actress, has condemned what she described as societal double standards in how men and women are treated when it comes to marital infidelity.

The actress expressed her outrage after a video shared on her Instagram page on Monday showed a master of ceremonies addressing a couple identified as Thomas and Mirabel during what appeared to be a marriage-related event.

In the video, delivered in the Igbo language, the MC told the wife that if she cheated on her husband while he was away for months, she would “die and run mad,” and asked her to respond with “amen”.

However, when addressing the husband, the MC said that if he cheated on his wife, “God will forgive him because he did not do it intentionally”.

The remarks drew a sharp reaction from Edochie, who said she hoped the video was merely a joke or a social media skit.

“I am very angry. This morning, I pray this is just a joke and content. Look, if men can be excused because they are “polygamous by nature”, then women deserve the same grace, the same mercy, and the same forgiveness. Enough of this gender inequality!!” she wrote.

“For too long, society has preached one gospel for men and another for women. When a man is unfaithful, many are quick to call it “his nature” or a moment of weakness, but when a woman commits the same offence, she is branded, condemned, nd often told she no longer deserves her home.

“How can the same act produce two different verdicts? How can one person be offered restoration while the other is shown the door? If the vows were exchanged equally, then the standard should also be applied equally.”

She argued that if infidelity is considered a sin, then both men and women should be held to the same standard.

“If infidelity is a sin, then it is a sin for both. If forgiveness exists, then it should not be reserved for one gender. Justice that favours men while crushing women is not justice; it is witchcraft,” she wrote.

“A marriage cannot be built on a system where the man is expected to be understood, while the woman is expected to be perfect; that is not fairness. It is partial.

“The rules of marriage should not change based on whether the offender is wearing trousers or a skirt. Accountability must be equal. Mercy must be equal. Dignity must be equal until we stop measuring men and women with different scales. We cannot honestly claim to be defending the sanctity of marriage. A principle is only a principle when it applies to everyone.”

Source: The Cable

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