Veteran Nollywood actor Chiwetalu Agu has offered his opinions on marriage and relationships, cautioning individuals against selecting mates only on the basis of physical attributes or virginity.

The actor stated in a statement posted on X (previously Twitter) that although virginity may be a sign of purity, it does not necessarily indicate a person’s loyalty, character, or capacity for a happy marriage.

Character, kindness, respect, and emotional maturity are the qualities that really count in a long-lasting relationship, according to Chiwetalu Agu, who emphasised that people should spend time getting to know their partners before getting married.

“Keeping your virginity does not automatically make you wife material. Don’t marry a woman simply because she is a virgin, and the same thing applies to men. Virginity signifies purity, not loyalty, good character, emotional intelligence or emotional maturity.

“For the sake of your life, peace, happiness and sanity, choose someone whose character has been tested and proven. Marry someone who genuinely connects with you, someone who is kind, respectful, loving and emotionally mature,” he said.

The actor went on to say that it is a blessing to meet a virgin mate who is also devoted, polite, loving, emotionally mature, and God-fearing, but he insisted that character is the cornerstone of any successful marriage.

Since then, his message has sparked online discussions in which many people concur that character, compatibility, and emotional maturity—rather than a single trait—are the foundations of long-lasting partnerships.