Pastor Kingsley Okonkwo faces backlash over N700,000 matchmaking platform
By Osundiji Sekinat
Lead pastor of David’s Christian Centre and a popular relationship coach, Pastor Kingsley Okonkwo has sparked mixed reactions after unveiling a Christian matchmaking platform, Mentor To Marry, with membership packages costing up to N700,000 annually.
The platform, which is aimed at helping Christian singles find intentional and God-centred relationships, comes amid growing conversations about the financial pressures surrounding modern relationships and marriage.
Okonkwo, in a post shared on X, lamented what he described as the increasing commercialisation of relationships, arguing that financial expectations have made it difficult for some young men to find genuine love.
“When we were young all you had to get was a girl’s phone number, but now all they want to send is their account number,” he wrote.
He added that men are now often expected to contribute towards expenses such as rent, school fees and transportation before being taken seriously in relationships.
In another post promoting Mentor To Marry, Okonkwo said the platform was created to connect serious, godly and well-mentored singles from different parts of the world.
“I can assure you that not all women are in relationships for business. There are a lot of good women looking to connect with serious godly men on our platform,” he said.
Unlike conventional dating platforms, Mentor To Marry requires intending members to undergo an eight-week process involving mentoring classes, personal assessments and guided reflection before gaining access to its matchmaking services.
According to the platform’s guidelines, membership does not guarantee that users will find a partner or get married. It also has strict rules prohibiting harassment, fraud, catfishing and explicit content.
A free community option is reportedly available for singles who are not ready to commit financially to the paid membership packages.
However, the announcement has drawn criticism from some Nigerians, particularly over the cost of membership, with several social media users questioning the affordability of a platform designed to help Christian singles find marriage partners.
@gatsegwasiPhD wrote, “Don’t you see how you are contradicting yourself? You say rships are commercialised and men who don’t have money should still pay 700k to meet “godly” women? So tell me who has such amount if not rich men? What’s the difference between this and what pimps do?
@DaraMoren1, “Relationship has been so commercialised nowadays” yet you went ahead to commercialize it. Mentor to Marry price list has Reg, Premium & VIP.
I don’t blame you all, I blame people who has given you so much relevance that they fail to know God for themselves.”
@EnjayQuaine, “It’s sad honestly, It’s hard for a guy to find a genuine relationship out there. If you got one as a child, hold it as long as you can. The outside world is brutally cold.”
@ndilichi1261151, :Do you know what that 700K will do for me in the gen z dating scene rather than put it in your link?”
The debate has since continued online, highlighting the growing intersection of faith, relationships and the rising financial demands associated with dating and marriage.
Vanguard News
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