A social media debate has been ignited following comments by Nollywood actress Angela Okorie, who criticised the practice of parents kissing their children on the mouth, describing it as inappropriate and unnecessary.
The actress shared her views through a series of posts on her Instagram Story, where she urged parents to reconsider the habit and instead show affection by kissing their children on the cheek.
Okorie questioned the rationale behind mouth-to-mouth kissing between parents and children, raising concerns about hygiene, personal boundaries and the exposure of children to germs. She maintained that such contact was avoidable and offered no added benefit compared to more conventional expressions of affection.
“Stop kissing your kid’s mouth to mouth. What happened to the cheek? They are kids; they don’t need your infected mouth,” she wrote, emphasising that parents should be more mindful of how they express affection.
The actress also expressed shock at what she described as a growing trend of adults kissing their parents on the mouth, repeatedly questioning why the cheek was no longer considered appropriate.
Her comments, delivered in a mix of English and pidgin, reflected frustration and disbelief, as she asked whether her stance made her appear old-fashioned or overly conservative.
Okorie’s remarks have since generated mixed reactions online, with some social media users agreeing with her position on hygiene and boundaries, while others defended mouth-to-mouth kissing as a harmless expression of familial affection rooted in personal or cultural preferences.
The conversation has further highlighted differing views on parenting styles, personal boundaries and evolving social norms in public discourse.