Nigerian street-pop singer Mr Real has stirred fresh controversy with a bold Instagram story that draws a sharp line between men and women who choose not to have children. The “Legbegbe” hitmaker shared his unfiltered view on the platform, declaring that a woman’s decision to remain childfree is understandable while a man making the same choice raises questions about his sexuality.
In the story posted on his official Instagram account @mr_realgram, Mr Real wrote:
“It is understandable if a woman says she don’t wanna have kids in this life very understandable. But you as a man saying you don’t want kids bro you be agege.”
The word “agege,” widely understood in Nigerian slang as a pointed reference to being gay or lacking traditional masculinity quickly became the centre of online debate after the post began circulating.
The statement has already drawn mixed reactions. Some users agreed with the singer’s traditional perspective on gender roles and family, while others called the remark outdated, stereotyping and dismissive of men who simply prefer a childfree lifestyle for personal, financial or environmental reasons.
Mr Real, whose real name is Okafor Uchenna Victor, has built a career on raw, street-oriented Afropop and has never shied away from sharing strong opinions. His latest comments arrive at a time when more young people, both men and women, are openly discussing the choice to remain childfree amid rising living costs and changing social values in Nigeria and beyond.