Reno Omokri Sparks Controversy Over Bride Price and Virginity in Social Media Post
Former presidential aide and social commentator Reno Omokri has ignited widespread debate following a controversial statement about traditional bride price practices, asserting that it is unjust for men to pay bride price for women who are not virgins.
In a post shared on social media, Omokri argued that it amounts to punishment for a man to bear the cultural cost of bride price when another man had previously engaged in a sexual relationship with the woman.
He questioned the logic of paying a “bride” price when, according to him, the woman has already had marital relations by traditional and biblical standards.
“It amounts to punishment if a woman allows a man who is not her husband to sleep with her and take her virginity for free, only for her parents to demand a bride price from the man who wants to marry her,” he wrote. “Think about it. What are you paying for? The woman is not a property that you are buying. No. If not, it would have been called ‘Woman price’. What you are paying for is a bride. And for you to be a bride, you must be chaste.”
Omokri went on to quote the Bible to support his claims, referencing Genesis 24:67, which recounts how Isaac took Rebekah into his mother’s tent and she became his wife. He emphasized that there was no wedding ceremony mentioned only the act of consummation.
“Many people do not realise that if a man has intercourse with a woman, he has automatically married her,” he added. “What do you think ‘took her’ means?”
The former aide doubled down on his position, saying he is prepared for criticism but remains committed to upholding biblical principles rather than seeking public approval.
“I don’t care who insults me. God put me on Earth to live up to His expectations, not yours,” Omokri said.
He also linked the issue to broader societal challenges facing Black communities. According to him, Black people are the only racial group with communities where more babies are aborted than are born. He urged society to reward virginity instead of celebrating promiscuity.
“If virginity was not important, why did God choose Mary?” he asked. “It was for one reason only. Her virginity.”
Omokri concluded by claiming that a return to traditional values including sexual abstinence before marriage could help resolve issues like high HIV/AIDS rates and overpopulation in Africa.
