Popular Nollywood actor Deyemi Okanlawon has revealed that he would have no problem stepping away from acting completely to become a full-time house husband if his wife eventually becomes the major breadwinner in their home.
The film star made the revelation while speaking during an interview on the Tea With Tay podcast, where he openly discussed marriage, family responsibilities, masculinity, and the pressure many men face when their partners earn more money than they do.
According to Okanlawon, he does not believe traditional gender roles should determine a person’s value in the family. Instead, he said his greatest priority is ensuring he remains useful, supportive, and important to his wife and children regardless of who earns more financially.
The actor explained that if his wife were to build a highly successful business generating millions of dollars yearly, he would gladly leave the movie industry behind and focus entirely on taking care of the home and raising their children.
Speaking passionately during the conversation, Okanlawon said he constantly prays for his wife to become extremely successful financially because he would happily embrace the role of a stay-at-home dad if the family was already financially secure.
He jokingly stated that people might never see him on movie screens again if his wife starts earning between $1m and $10m annually, adding that he would willingly dedicate his time to school runs, childcare, and household responsibilities.
The actor further admitted that although he is not skilled at cooking, he would still learn and handle domestic duties if necessary, stressing that financial stability and family peace matter more to him than societal expectations about what men should or should not do.
Okanlawon also addressed the discomfort many men experience when women become more financially successful in relationships.
According to him, some men struggle emotionally with such situations because they are conditioned to believe they must always remain the dominant providers in the home.
He explained that this insecurity often makes some men overly sensitive, defensive, or easily offended over minor issues within relationships.
The Nollywood star noted that many men react negatively to financially successful women because they feel threatened or uncertain about their own relevance in the relationship.
However, he maintained that true value in a family should not be measured strictly by income but by the support, stability, love, and presence a person contributes to the household.
Okanlawon said his personal desire is simply to remain valuable and impactful within his family irrespective of gender expectations or financial dynamics.
The actor married his wife, Damilola Okanlawon, in January 2013, and the couple have continued to build their family together over the years.
Their first son, Demide, was born in July 2016, while their second son, Adeife, arrived in December 2017. The couple welcomed their third child together in February 2024.
Okanlawon’s comments have since sparked conversations online, with many social media users debating modern marriage roles, financial balance in relationships, and whether more men would be comfortable becoming stay-at-home fathers if their wives earned significantly more money.
