Audio By Carbonatix
He's one of Nigeria's most influential and well-respected pastors in a country that is fervently religious, so when Pastor Enoch Adeboye speaks, people listen. Although sometimes a little later than intended.
In the past few days a YouTube video (which was posted over a year ago) has set digital tongues wagging. It began as a simple sermon from the pastor advising young people on marriage. But one line sparked a social media fire.
"Don't marry a woman who can't cook," Pastor Adeboye said to rapturous applause. "A girl who cannot cook will not be a good wife."
He went on to issue his decrees for those on the hunt for a husband too.
"Don't marry a man who has no job…A man is to provide for the house, not the other way around."
It's not clear who first shared the video or why it has resurfaced now. But it has been trending all week with more than 30,000 tweets, with it appears about equal numbers supporting or opposed to the pastor's advice.


Many Nigerians have seen this as part of a larger conversation on feminism and as a manipulation of the bible to keep women in traditional gendered roles.

But this is a country where religious traditions crosses over into much of every day life, including law.
Even some who regarded themselves as the most progressive of tweeters, felt cooking was still very firmly in the woman's realm.

But millions of women in Nigeria are now in work (48% of women work, that's not far behind the US or the UK with 56%) and they're caught up in that gap between tradition and a modern way of life. Cooking is seen as unmasculine.
Nigerians take their pastors as seriously as they do their food as many people hit out at the critics saying they are in no place to criticise a man of God.
Pastor Adeboye is head of the Redeemed Christian Church of God one of the fastest growing churches in Nigeria. He is also one of the wealthiest pastors in the country. This week he issued a statement reminding people that despite the tough economic times in Nigeria, they shouldn't forget to pay their church dues. For some people the online debate is about the power of Nigeria's churches.
But it wasn't just a serious and existential online debate, there were many who saw the funny side.

Arguments over who does what at home is something women in many parts of the world are familiar with.
In Nigeria, it seems that conversation is just beginning.
Latest Stories
-
Morocco beat Nigeria on penalties to set up AFCON final against Senegal
2 hours -
NaCCA Director-General apologises as withdrawn teacher manual sparks national outrage
2 hours -
Mane destroys Salah’s Afcon dream again – will he get another chance?
3 hours -
‘If Flick hadn’t come, I would have left Barca’ – Raphinha
3 hours -
Real Madrid stunned by second division Albacete in Copa del Rey
3 hours -
Tottenham sign Gallagher from Atletico for £35m
3 hours -
Amateur stuns world’s best Jannik Sinner to win A$1m in Melbourne
3 hours -
FBI searches home of Washington Post reporter in classified documents probe
4 hours -
Trump administration pauses immigrant visa processing for 75 countries
4 hours -
UK–Ghana crack down on immigration crime as fugitive smuggler jailed
4 hours -
Ghana’s Benjamin Arhin shines on Internacional debut with Man of the Match display
4 hours -
Stanbic Bank Ghana maintain top rank in Customer Experience Leadership in 2025 KPMG Assessment
4 hours -
Newmont-backed AI smart lab powers Kona D/A students to victory at Ghana Robotics CompetitionÂ
5 hours -
Venezuelan acting president says hundreds of prisoners have been released since December
5 hours -
Nilex Suites holds first open house ahead of official launch
5 hours
