- Sunny Neji warned that modern society had reduced love to sexual attraction, insisting that empathy remained the true foundation of genuine relationships
- He described love as universal and timeless, arguing that it transcended generations and sustained human existence beyond Valentine’s Day celebrations
- Reflecting on his career, Neji cited his classic song Oruka as a celebration of marriage and lifelong commitment, saying his music was shaped by personal experiences rather than strategy
Veteran Nigerian singer Sunny Neji has voiced concern over what he describes as a growing misconception about love and relationships in modern society, warning that many people mistakenly reduce intimacy to sexual attraction alone.
In an interview with Saturday Beats, the celebrated musician argued that love is far deeper and more enduring than physical connection. According to him, one of the greatest misunderstandings of contemporary relationships is the belief that “everything begins and ends with sex”.
“Love is just love,” he said. “Love is when you care about someone, when you have empathy for someone, when you can put yourself in someone else’s position.”
Neji stressed that empathy is the true foundation of genuine affection and meaningful connection. Without it, he maintained, love cannot exist in its purest form. “Without empathy, there cannot be love. The ability to empathise with someone else, that is what love is. Therefore, this generation must learn to empathise with others. Once you’re able to do that, love will just come naturally to you,” he added.
Reflecting on the significance of Valentine’s Day, the singer insisted that love itself has remained constant across generations. In his view, it is not merely an emotional experience but an essential force underpinning human existence.
“Love is universal. Love transcends time. People have been falling in love long before we were born, and they will still keep falling in love long after we’re gone,” he said.
He further emphasised love’s sustaining power, suggesting that it remains central to humanity’s survival. “Without love, really, I do not know how what we know today as the world or earth is going to survive. Love is what keeps us. Love is what drives us. In the middle of everything, there’s still real love, true love.”
Unlike many who reserve grand romantic gestures for 14 February, Neji revealed that he embraces a daily approach to expressing affection and gratitude. For him, love should not be confined to a single date on the calendar. “Every day for me is a day to show love; it’s the same thing, a beautiful gift from God,” he said.
When asked which of his love songs resonates most deeply with him, the singer highlighted his classic track, Oruka. The song, widely regarded as a wedding favourite, celebrates marriage and lifelong commitment.
“It resonates with me because it is the celebration of the union called marriage, where two people come together and decide that they want to live this life with each other,” he explained.
Neji also dismissed suggestions that his reputation as a “love song specialist” was a calculated career move. Instead, he described it as a natural outgrowth of his personal experiences and inspirations over time.
“I just wrote the songs the way I was feeling, the way I was inspired, depending on what was happening around me at every point in time,” he said. “So it is basically just my experiences at every point in time. That’s what informs the songs I write and sing.”
Through his reflections, the veteran artist has called on a new generation to rediscover empathy as the heart of lasting love.