Pastor Sparks Debate After Warning Against Marrying Unattractive Partners

(Prophet Apata Enoch and wife. Photo Credit: Punch News)

Prophet Apata Enoch, a self-described pastor, has caused controversy on social media by telling people not to wed “ugly people” while flaunting his spouse.

Despite not mentioning his church membership in the article, our correspondent’s investigation revealed that he frequently speaks to congregations and has discussed his church on social media.

In an online post shared on Monday, Enoch celebrated his wife’s forthcoming 50th birthday, describing her as beautiful and noting that she would be turning 50 on August 5, while he himself is 54.

He advised others not to marry someone they consider unattractive out of concern for old age, urging people to keep an open heart and open eyes when choosing a partner.

The pastor further claimed that he had once intended to marry another woman but was discouraged after receiving what he described as divine guidance, saying he had been told he would not like her appearance in old age.

He added that the woman in question now looks like someone he “can’t take pictures with,” expressing gratitude to God for guiding him instead toward a wife he considers fine and beautiful.

The post has since generated mixed reactions online, with some users agreeing with his comments while others criticised the remarks as insensitive and disparaging.

One user, identified as Dotun Jegede, argued that such posts by men of God often create controversy and bring reproach to their faith, insisting that every woman is created in divine beauty and that reducing or mocking a woman insults the Creator who made all humans beautifully.

He questioned whether physical beauty should be the standard for worth, referencing scriptural teaching on the value of inner character over outward appearance, and asked what the implications of such a post would be for women who have lost physical features to injury, illness, or surgery, such as mastectomy patients.

He called for more inclusive, balanced messaging that reflects the Gospel rather than personal ideology, describing the post as discriminatory and gender-based, and urged that it be taken down out of respect for women and people with varying circumstances, noting that beauty is subjective.

Another user, identified as Uche Nwafor, remarked that the comment left them wondering what the woman the pastor had initially wanted to marry must look like, while a user named Grace simply noted that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.