Human rights activist and psychologist, Comrade Israel Joe, has taken a swipe at Nollywood star Jim Iyke for his controversial remark about single mothers.

In a recent interview with a Ghanaian radio station, Jim Iyke claimed that single mothers cannot raise a boy into a “proper man.” His statement has since drawn widespread criticism, with many accusing him of unfairly stereotyping women who raise children alone.

Reacting via Facebook on Tuesday, Comrade Joe described Jim Iyke as an “irresponsible over-matured bachelor” who has no moral compass to question the ability of single mothers to raise responsible men.

He pointed to global icons raised by single mothers, including former US President Barack Obama, asking rhetorically:

“Na Jim Iyke naim come better pass Barack Obama wey single mother raise?”

Joe went further to stress that while society can interrogate the rising trend of single motherhood, it should not demonize women who, by choice or circumstance, carry the heavy responsibility of raising children alone.

“You can attack and interrogate single-motherhood without demonising single mothers as if they are not human beings. While I share the view that we should stop glorifying single-motherhood, we must also condemn irresponsible fatherhood as well,” he said.

He emphasized that single motherhood can stem from various situations—mistakes, ignorance, intentional choices, or unfortunate circumstances—yet many women in such positions have successfully raised responsible, accomplished men.

Opinion

Jim Iyke’s statement may have been born out of personal experience, but it is dangerous when personal bias is painted as universal truth. While it’s fair to discuss the challenges of single parenting, reducing it to an inability to raise “proper men” is both dismissive and insulting to countless women who have succeeded in doing exactly that.

History is full of examples that disprove Iyke’s claim—Barack Obama, Jay-Z, and even Nigerian leaders and trailblazers who were molded by single mothers into remarkable figures. To ignore these realities is to deny the resilience and strength of women who step into both parental roles out of necessity.

At the same time, Israel Joe raises a valid point: conversations about parenting should be balanced. Society must not glorify single motherhood as an ideal, but it must also hold irresponsible fathers accountable. Too often, men disappear from their responsibilities, leaving women to carry the weight, and yet it is the women who are judged.

The real conversation should not be whether single mothers are capable—they clearly are—but why fatherhood is sometimes treated as optional. Until we shift that narrative, criticisms like Jim Iyke’s will only serve as distractions rather than solutions.