…says only virgins deserve bride price.
The iNews Times reports that a former presidential aide and social commentator, Reno Omokri, has sparked fresh controversy by asserting that bride price should be reserved exclusively for virgins, declaring that anything else amounts to “extortion.”
In a lengthy post shared via his official X handle on Sunday, Omokri argued that many African societies have misunderstood and misapplied the terms “dowry” and “bride price”, leading to practices he describes as morally and scripturally flawed.
“There is a huge difference between a dowry and a bride price,” he wrote. “A dowry is what a woman’s family gives to her on her wedding day, it becomes joint property for the couple. A bride price, on the other hand, is what a man pays to the family of a virgin woman he wants to marry.”
Quoting Exodus 22:17, Omokri stressed that biblical and traditional African cultures recognise bride price strictly in the context of virginity. He cited Jewish and Yoruba traditions, including the Lukumi practice of verifying virginity via “aso funfun” (white cloth), where failure to confirm virginity could result in a refund of the bride price.
“In Sub-Saharan Africa, the excessive demand for money or property for a woman who is not a virgin is neither legally nor technically a bride price – it is extortion,” he wrote.
Omokri, known for his religious conservatism, backed his claim with a series of biblical references, including Isaiah 62:5 and Song of Solomon 4:12, insisting that Scripture consistently links the concept of a “bride” with virginity.
He further illustrated his point by referencing biblical figures:
“David paid bride price for Michal, King Saul’s daughter, who was a virgin. But he did not pay bride price for Abigail, a widow. That is not a coincidence, it is Scriptural tradition.”
He warned that the erosion of these traditions has contributed to a moral breakdown in African societies, from rampant sexually transmitted infections to broken homes.
“If Africa continues on this path of moral laxity, unchecked sexuality, and the distortion of tradition, we will remain trapped at the bottom rung of global development,” he cautioned.
In a final jab, Omokri criticised the popularity of white weddings in Africa, describing them as misunderstood European customs.
“The white wedding is not Christian, and it’s not African. It’s a European tradition where, historically, the bride’s father foots the bill, not the groom or his family. Let’s stop being Industrial Money Obtainers,” he quipped.
The iNews Times reports that Omokri’s post has reignited debates around modern marriage customs, gender roles, and cultural identity in Africa – with opinions deeply divided between support for his conservative views and calls for more progressive interpretations of tradition.
