Love for sale? Okonkwo’s N700,000 matchmaking platform faces fire

Relationship coach and pastor Kingsley Okonkwo has ignited a fierce online debate in Nigeria with the launch of his Christian matchmaking platform, 'Mentor To Marry'. The service, which offers annual membership packages ranging from N70,000 to N700,000, has drawn sharp criticism from Nigerians who accuse Okonkwo of commercializing the pursuit of love and marriage.

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I feel for the men of this generation…. relationships have been so commercialised nowadays that it’s almost impossible for a young man to find true love.

The platform's most expensive tier promises subscribers a dedicated matchmaker and coach, priority access to the founders, and off-platform introductions. Okonkwo, the lead pastor at David’s Christian Centre, unveiled the platform on X, describing it as a guided marriage-preparation and matchmaking community for serious Christian singles seeking intentional, faith-based relationships.

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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. Now you are expected to pay rent, school fees and transport before you are taken seriously.

However, the launch has been met with strong reactions, particularly given Okonkwo's previous criticisms of the increasing commercialization of relationships in Nigeria. He had lamented that it was "almost impossible for a young man to find true love" due to men being expected to "pay rent, school fees and transport before you are taken seriously." He later directed interested men to 'Mentor To Marry' for meeting "godly well mentored ladies."

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I can assure you that not all women are in relationship for business, there are a lot of good women looking to connect with serious godly men on our platform.

Critics argue that the platform's pricing structure creates a contradiction, with users questioning how a service aimed at combating relationship commercialization can itself demand substantial fees. "If relationships have become increasingly commercialized… Then why is he also commercializing it?" asked one Facebook user. Another user, Salome Zamani, expressed that the cost was a deterrent, stating she would have considered it but would now "just concentrate on God kawai" (just concentrate on God alone). Affitex Eduno echoed this sentiment, suggesting that the prices themselves represent the commercialization Okonkwo decried.

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If relationships have become increasingly commercialized… Then why is he also commercializing it?