Veteran Nollywood actress Shaffy Bello has opened up about her experience with dating, her stance on younger men, and the kind of relationship she is now looking for.
Speaking during a recent episode of the Dear Ife podcast, the 54-year-old actress shared candid details about her love life, revealing that younger men still message her frequently. While she admitted the attention is flattering, she criticised the way some of them approach her.
“Yes, men still slide into my DMs,” she said. “When you’re over 50 and young men still reach out to you, it’s flattering. But some of them have no manners. They start with things like, ‘Hi dear.’ At that point, you just feel like insulting their mothers. It’s really annoying.”
Despite the attention, Bello made it clear that she is not interested in dating younger men anymore. She explained that while she once dated a younger man for fun, her focus has now shifted.
“I can’t date a younger man again,” she stated firmly. “There’s no point. I’ve done it before, and that chapter is closed. At the time, it was fun. It suited the season I was in. But that season has passed.”
Shaffy Bello speaks on her intention
The actress stressed that she is now more intentional about what she wants in a relationship.
“What I want now is very different. I’m not looking for fun anymore, I’m looking for something meaningful,” she said. “I want marriage. I’m not against marriage. In fact, I know for sure that marriage is something I now desire.”
However, Bello added that her idea of marriage may not align with traditional Nigerian beliefs. She expressed concern about how rigid society can be when it comes to relationships and expectations within marriage.
“I have a very different opinion about what marriage should be,” she said. “I think a lot of people here are too rigid about it. They expect women to follow certain outdated rules. That’s why I’d rather not say too much,, I’ll just leave it at that.”
Shaffy Bello’s openness has sparked conversations online, especially among fans who admire her confidence and clarity.
The actress was previously married to Akinrimisi, a union that lasted 25 years. The couple got married in 1995 and officially separated in 2020. They share two children together.
In previous interviews, Bello has spoken about the sacrifices she made for her career and how distance played a role in the breakdown of her marriage. Her husband and children lived in the United States while she pursued acting in Nigeria a decision she said was not easy but necessary for her personal growth.
Now, with her children grown and her priorities realigned, the seasoned actress is focused on building a new chapter, one where love is rooted in maturity, mutual respect, and lasting commitment.
For Bello, age may be just a number, but her desires have matured with time, and she is no longer entertaining distractions.
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