A self-acclaimed cleric, Prophet Apata Enoch, has stirred debate on social media after advising people not to marry an “ugly person” while celebrating his wife ahead of her 50th birthday.
Although he did not identify the church he leads in the post, a review of his previous social media activity shows that he regularly addresses a congregation and frequently shares messages about his ministry.
In a Facebook post on Monday, Enoch praised his wife, describing her as beautiful as he marked her upcoming birthday.
“5th of August, this my baby will be 50 years on earth, many years, my sweetheart. I’m 54, my sweetheart 50. Don’t marry an ugly person because of old age. Open your heart and eyes,” he wrote.
The cleric also claimed that he had once planned to marry another woman but abandoned the relationship after what he described as divine guidance.
According to him, God told him he would not find the woman attractive in old age.
“The woman I wanted to marry before, God told me I wouldn’t like her in her old age. Today, she looks like someone I can’t take pictures with. I bless God. I hear from this merciful God who knows I like a fine and beautiful wife,” he added.
The post quickly attracted mixed reactions, with some social media users agreeing with his views, while others described the comments as insensitive and demeaning.
One Facebook user, Dotun Jegede, argued that the remarks undermined the dignity of women and promoted discrimination based on physical appearance.
He said every woman possesses inherent beauty and that a person’s worth should not be judged by outward appearance alone. He also questioned how such views would apply to women whose appearance had changed because of illness, injury or other life circumstances, urging religious leaders to promote compassion, inclusion and the core message of the Gospel.
Another user, Uche Nwafor, sarcastically remarked that he could only imagine what the woman the pastor claimed he almost married looked like.
A third commenter, Grace, simply noted that “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.”
The pastor’s remarks have continued to generate discussions online about beauty standards, relationships and the responsibilities of public figures when making personal opinions public.
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