A bizarre church service has ignited a firestorm of debate across social media after a group of single women showed up in full bridal regalia—white wedding gowns, veils, and bouquets in hand—to participate in a fervent “marriage prayer” session aimed at summoning husbands from the heavens.
The viral video, which exploded online late last week, captures the emotional scene inside an unidentified Nigerian church where dozens of unmarried women, ranging from their 20s to 40s, knelt in unison before the altar, tears streaming down their faces as a female preacher led them in impassioned pleas for divine intervention in their love lives. Dressed as if en route to their own nuptials, the participants clutched Bibles and flowers, chanting scriptures and sobbing during personalized blessings. The preacher, microphone in hand, urged them to “visualize the wedding” and declare, “I receive my husband now, in Jesus’ name!”—a spectacle that transformed the sanctuary into a makeshift bridal runway.
Organizers described the event as a “Singles’ Wedding Retreat,” rooted in the belief that symbolic attire amplifies faith and accelerates God’s response to prayers for marital breakthrough. One attendee, speaking anonymously to reporters, explained, “We wore the gowns to show we’re ready—body, soul, and spirit. It’s not desperation; it’s activation of our destiny.” The session reportedly included counseling on self-worth and preparation for relationships, but the bridal theme stole the spotlight, drawing comparisons to earlier viral clips from 2022 and 2023 where similar “husband-hunting” prayers went mega-viral.
The footage, first shared on TikTok and Instagram before flooding Twitter and WhatsApp groups, has amassed millions of views and polarized netizens. Supporters hailed it as a bold act of faith, with one user tweeting, “If dressing like a bride brings your Boaz, why not? God honors creativity!” Critics, however, branded it “peak desperation” and “spiritual clownery,” arguing it perpetuates toxic pressure on women to prioritize marriage over personal fulfillment. “This is why spinsterhood stigma thrives—churches turning prayer into a bridal fashion show,” fumed a Lagos-based influencer, echoing broader sentiments that such rituals demean single women and ignore systemic issues like gender imbalances in dating.
Feminist voices amplified the backlash, pointing to the event’s undertones of societal judgment. “Marriage isn’t a prize to beg for in a gown; it’s a choice. This just reinforces that single = incomplete,” one commentator posted, while others questioned the church’s role in fueling anxiety. The preacher defended the program in a follow-up reel, insisting, “Faith without works is dead—sometimes you dress for the miracle you’re expecting.”
This isn’t the first time Nigerian places of worship have courted controversy with unorthodox marital rituals. Past events, like “anointing oils for attraction” seminars, have similarly divided opinions between the devout and the skeptical. As the video continues to trend, it has sparked wider conversations on faith, feminism, and the commodification of singledom in Africa’s most populous nation—where over 40% of women aged 25-34 remain unmarried, per recent census data.
Church leaders have yet to issue a unified statement, but the retreat’s organizers teased a sequel, promising “testimonies” from “manifested unions.” For now, the gowns are off, but the drama lingers, reminding many that in the quest for “I do,” the line between prayer and performance is thinner than a veil.