Nigerian actress Ruth Kadiri has called on parents and society to ease the pressure they place on people to succeed, saying success should not be measured by money, career achievements or how much someone can provide for their family.
Kadiri said many people are burdened by expectations from their parents, extended families and society, leaving them with little room to live according to their own priorities.
“One of the things I want you people to change is the pressure parents put on their children to succeed and bring money home. I promise you, this generation needs to change it,” she said in a video shared on Instagram.
She added that the pressure often extends beyond parents to other family members, with firstborn children facing additional expectations to carry responsibilities for everyone.
“Now, it now moves from parents to family. Change it. Next thing is the pressure on firstborns. Let us breathe,” she said.
The actress also challenged the idea that success must look the same for everyone, arguing that people should be allowed to decide what a fulfilling life means to them.
“Success means different things to different people. Success can just be me, sleeping in my house every day, waking up and telling my children, ‘I love you.’ I might not want to work,” she said.
Kadiri called for a change in how Nigerian society defines achievement, saying people should not be made to feel inadequate simply because they do not meet other people’s expectations.
“Standard of success in Nigeria needs to be [changed],” she said, before describing the pressure people face in 2026 as troubling.
She urged parents, society and social media users to stop placing excessive demands on others and allow people to live with less anxiety and frustration.
“May God not allow you to live for 60 years and out of the 60 years, you spend 50 years getting angry,” she said.
“Parents, society, social media, let us breathe.”