Senior Pastor and relationship counsellor Dr. Kingsley Okonkwo faces public scrutiny over the launch of his new faith-based matchmaking initiative, Mentor To Marry, which features annual membership tiers scaling up to ₦700,000.
The prominent cleric, who leads David’s Christian Centre, took to social media to introduce the platform, citing contemporary dating shifts and financial strains often associated with modern courtship.
“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.
The pricing structure, which includes a Regular plan at ₦70,000, a Premium tier at ₦350,000, and a VIP package reaching ₦700,000 annually, prompted swift debates across the internet. Critics questioned the high fees for a faith-oriented program, while supporters defended the platform’s intensive preparatory framework, which mandates an eight-week mentoring and assessment course before matchmaking begins. Defending the integrity of the initiative and addressing critics who label modern ministry as overly commercialised, Okonkwo emphasised that the service aims to cultivate genuine unions.
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.
He said, “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.”
Controversy is no stranger to the popular relationship coach, who frequently gets dragged on social media due to his unfiltered views on gender roles, dating dynamics, and marriage guidelines. Earlier in January, the cleric drew heavy backlash and online debate after posting that he had just gotten a tattoo to mark his 50th birthday, shocking a segment of his conservative congregation and followers. Despite these recurring digital drags, Okonkwo remains a massive fixture in Nigerian Christian media.
Away from the pulpit and relationship seminars, Pastor Kingsley Okonkwo anchors his teachings in his own long-standing union. He is happily married to his co-pastor and life partner, Mildred Okonkwo. Together, the couple runs various youth and marriage-focused programmes, leveraging decades of joint ministry experience, relationship coaching, and counselling. Blessed with children, the Okonkwos frequently present their own family life as a foundational blueprint for the relationship advice they broadcast globally.
