Other News
‘Paying Bride Price For Non-Virgins Is Extortion – Omokri
Former presidential aide and social commentator, Reno Omokri, has stirred heated debate across social media platforms following his controversial assertion that only virgin women deserve to have a bride price paid on them.
In a lengthy post shared via his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle on Sunday, Omokri argued that demanding bride price for a non-virgin is tantamount to “extortion” and not rooted in African tradition or biblical principles.
“There is a huge difference between a dowry and a bride price,” Omokri began, stressing that the two terms are often wrongly used interchangeably in Sub-Saharan Africa.
According to him, dowry practiced in Europe, Asia, and parts of the Middle East refers to property given by a bride’s family to her and her husband on the wedding day.
READ ALSO: Why I Now Support Tinubu’s Gov’t – Reno Omokri
Bride price, however, he maintained, originates from African and Jewish traditions and is specifically meant for virgins, as referenced in Exodus 22:17.
“A bride price is the money or property given by a man to the family of a virgin woman to marry her… If the bride’s virginity is not confirmed on the white cloth (aso funfun) after consummation, the marriage is not valid, and the bride price is returned,” he stated.
Omokri condemned what he described as the commercialisation of marriage, particularly when high amounts are demanded for women who are not virgins.
“The excessive demand for money and property by some Sub-Saharan African ethnicities for a woman who is not a virgin is neither legally nor technically a bride price it is extortion,” he said.
He cited biblical references including Isaiah 62:5, Jeremiah 2:32, and Song of Solomon 4:12, claiming they equate the term “bride” solely with virginity.
He also referenced King David’s marriage to Michal, for which he paid a bride price, contrasting it with his union with Abigail, for whom no bride price was mentioned.
“By African tradition and Scriptural law, a man may marry a woman who is not a virgin but such a woman is not a bride, and no bride price should be paid for her,” Omokri wrote.
Reno, known for his religious and cultural conservatism, warned that if African societies continue to abandon traditional values, they risk further moral and social decline.
“If we in Africa do not return to these time-honoured traditions… we will remain at the bottom rung of global development, plagued by high rates of sexually transmitted diseases and broken homes,” he warned.
He concluded by criticising the popular culture of white weddings in Nigeria, calling them a misrepresentation of European traditions and un-African.
“The White wedding is not African culture… In Europe, it is the bride’s father who pays for the wedding. Industrial Money Obtainers, I hope you have heard?” he added in a sarcastic jab.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) have disclosed details of their recent closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu, explaining that the engagement focused on strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The clarification came amid speculation surrounding the meeting, which took place at the Presidential Villa in Abuja after leaders of several opposition parties attended an Iftar dinner hosted by the president earlier in the week.
ALSO READ: NNPC Secures Tinubu’s Approval for $20bn FID on Bonga Deepwater Project
Speaking during a gathering hosted in Abuja by the SDP’s former presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo on Friday, the party’s National Chairman, Prof. Sadiq Gombe, said the meeting with Tinubu followed an official invitation from the Presidency and lasted about an hour.
According to Gombe, the discussion centred on the need to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral laws and restore public confidence in the country’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 polls.
He explained that the meeting provided an opportunity for party leaders to remind the president of the importance of conducting transparent, free, and credible elections.
Gombe noted that democracy can only thrive when governments listen to the concerns of citizens and ensure electoral processes that guarantee fairness and accountability.
The SDP chairman also expressed concern over growing voter apathy, pointing to the low turnout recorded in the recent Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory.
He said the Abuja Municipal Area Council election witnessed only about seven per cent voter turnout, which he described as a clear sign that many Nigerians are losing confidence in the electoral system.
Gombe urged the government and members of the National Assembly to take urgent steps to review electoral laws and rebuild public trust in Nigeria’s democracy.
Also speaking, the National Chairman of IPAC, Dr. Yusuf Dantalle, said political parties used the meeting to raise concerns about aspects of proposed electoral reforms, particularly issues related to indirect primaries and the mandatory electronic transmission of results.
Dantalle explained that the parties appealed to the president to use his influence to encourage legislative review where necessary, noting that reforms should strengthen, rather than complicate, the democratic process.
He expressed optimism that Tinubu would consider the concerns raised and support necessary amendments that would improve the electoral system.
The IPAC chairman also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to strictly adhere to electoral guidelines as preparations for the next election cycle begin.
Earlier in his remarks, Adebayo cautioned political actors against turning the 2027 general elections into a do-or-die contest, stressing that the primary goal of democracy should be the progress and stability of Nigeria rather than personal political victories.
He urged leaders across political parties to encourage citizens to actively participate in the democratic process and ensure that elections are conducted peacefully and transparently.
President Bola Tinubu and Mr. Taiwo Oyedele during his nomination on Wednesday.
Airfares Likely to Rise as Aviation Fuel Price Spikes by 80%
Shell Completes Turnaround Maintenance on FPSO, Resumes Production at Bonga
Sahara Group expands fleet with new 40,000 cbm LPG Carrier
NATO Shoots Down Third Iranian Missile in Turkey
Inside Tinubu’s Closed-Door Meeting With Opposition Leaders – SDP, IPAC Reveal Details
Defections Won’t Break PDP in Sokoto, Says Former Senator Gada
Trump’s Family Unveils New Cryptocurrency Platform
Reps Recommend 3-year Jail Term For Aviation minister
Dangote Cement Lights Up Benue Host Communities With CSR Initiatives
Senate Denies Receiving Petitions Against Tinubu’s Ambassadorial Nominees
Things To Know About Threads, Zuckerberg’s Twitter-like App
xldpnw
868805 905878I believe other web site proprietors should take this internet site as an model, quite clean and superb user genial style . 233131
500652 488901Normally I do not read write-up on blogs, but I wish to say that this write-up extremely forced me to try and do so! Your writing style has been surprised me. Thanks, quite good post. 337976
356456 130352youre in point of fact a very good webmaster. The internet site loading velocity is remarkable. It seems that youre performing any distinctive trick. In addition, The contents are masterpiece. youve done an excellent activity on this subject! 715301