Nollywood actress Empress Njamah recently turned down a heartfelt marriage proposal from a close friend, in a moment captured on her Instagram. During a gathering attended by his friends and family, the man—referred to by Empress as “King of Abuja”—went down on one knee, saying he prayed and believed fate led him to her, before asking, “Will you marry me?”

Overwhelmed and emotional, Empress expressed gratitude for his bold and public gesture, but ultimately declined, emphasizing that preserving their friendship mattered more to her. She stated:

“I am so emotional right now… Coming from the king of Abuja… I said I am not interested.”

In her Instagram caption, she reiterated:

“AND I SAID NOOOOO… GEE NO DEY MARRY GEE, BETTER FRIENDS THAN LOVERS.”

This isn’t the first time Empress has addressed societal pressure around marriage. In the past, she’s reminded fans that life doesn’t begin and end with getting married and has stated that she feels no external urgency to settle down.