Veteran Nollywood actress Shaffy Bello has said she understands why some young women engage in transactional relationships popularly known as “runs”, but urged them not to remain in the lifestyle, stressing the need for growth and self-worth beyond survival choices.
Bello made the remarks during an interview on The Morayo Show hosted by Morayo Afolabi-Brown, in a conversation that has since gone viral on social media.
The full interview was published on the show’s official YouTube channel on May 21 and gained wider attention on Thursday after clips from the interview circulated on X and other platforms.
Speaking on self-worth and the pressures many young women face, Bello said women do not need to expose their bodies or chase online attention to be seen as attractive or successful.
She said, “There are too many children out there, too many babies my age younger that needs my voice that needs to hear that the seeds that you sow matter.
“That needs to hear, ‘No, you don’t have to show your boobs to be sexy.’
“That needs to hear, ‘No, you don’t have to shake your bum bum to go viral or get attention.’”
The actress also addressed women who turn to transactional relationships to survive, saying she understood the realities behind such decisions and was not speaking from a place of judgement.
“And if what you’re doing now is being a runs girl to make money, you don’t have to stay there. I understand it. I’m not knocking you. I never judge,” she said.
Bello added that some women were pushed into such choices by financial responsibilities, including supporting their families and paying school fees.
“If that’s what you have to do right now, if that’s what you have to do to make a living, some girls are doing it because they need to feed mum. They need to send their aburo to school. I understand it.
“However, my darlings, don’t stay there. You are more than that,” she added.
Reflecting on her career, Bello said she remained focused on acting because she believed it was the path she had been called to pursue.
“I’m an actor. Every actor doesn’t have to be a producer. I face my lane. I do what God asked me to do,” she said.
According to her, while some actors may choose to branch into filmmaking and production, she was more concerned about using her platform to make meaningful impact.
“If I sit and go do films, I’m looking for more money. No, money is not everything,” Bello said.
The interview has continued to generate reactions online, with many social media users debating Bello’s comments on women, economic hardship and the pressures created by fame and online visibility.
