The guy should not have done that. If he did not have money, he should not have suggested going out to a restaurant.

Even as friends, it is not a decent thing to do.

In Africa, it is the culture for the man to take of care of things like that. This is because africa is a male dominated society. Financally speaking, on the average, men are more powerful than women in Africa so it is expected that a man should always spend.

In the westen world, it is a different matter, though it is expected the the man should spend more than the woman because it still a male dominated society too but not as pronounced as it is in africa.

The problem that people from africa (especailly african man ) face in the western world is that african man are not as financially powerfully as they should be for various obvious reasons. Also everybody is on a level plain field and i dont have any problem with that. Anybody can be financially stronger than anybody regardless of your sex.

Infact things are generally easier for black woman in the western world than black man-[ it is a fact]

it is high time we realised that the" african mentality" of the man solely taking care of things financially and the woman not spending will not work. It has led to family splitting, unneccessary stress, Single parentage, dysfuntional homes, all the name of "that is how we do it in Africa." I am not saying it is like that in every home. No!
If both the man and the woman are working then they should split the cost from time to time. Help each other.

But on a first date, haba! The man should prepare himself and spoil the woman.

Orunmila said that " Man should take care of his woman but if things are bad and the woman can do anything within her power to help then all the better" because they reap the fruits of tranquility and happiness.