Veteran Nollywood actress Bukky Wright has criticized men who label women "gold diggers" for expecting financial support in relationships, arguing the responsibility to provide falls on the man.

Speaking during a recent interview on men, finances, and relationships, the 59-year-old actress rejected the term outright and questioned why it gets used against women at all.

"I hate it when I hear men calling women gold diggers. What do you expect her to dig? I won't advise any woman to dig anything less than gold," she said. "If you cannot afford a woman, don't go for it; go for the one you can afford."

Wright argued that support shouldn't have to be requested in the first place, framing it instead as something a man should provide as a matter of course.

"She doesn't even need to ask you. It's your responsibility as a man to know that, 'My woman needs to wear good clothes. My woman needs to look good.' Even if it is looking good for you as a man, she should be your pride. She should be your everything that you want to spend on," she said.

Asked directly whether men who can't afford the financial demands of a relationship should simply avoid dating, Wright didn't soften her answer. "Then don't! Don't date if you cannot afford it! Or you date according to your level," she said.

She also drew on her own upbringing to make the point, recalling that her generation avoided dating men their own age precisely because of what those men could or couldn't offer. "I remember when I was growing up, we would not date our age mates because what can you offer? That's why I said cut your clothes according to your materials," she said.

The comments have split opinion online, with some Nigerians backing her stance on financial responsibility in relationships and others pushing back on the idea that provision should be automatic or unconditional.