Reno Omokri, former presidential aide and social commentator, has sparked fierce debate by declaring that only virgins should receive bride price calling the tradition unfair punishment when non-virgins are charged. He argued that a man should not pay for what another has taken, suggesting the current practice has lost its moral grounding .
He backed his argument with Scripture and African tradition, citing Exodus 22:16‑17 to emphasize that bride price was historically reserved for virgins . His post reads:
“It amounts to punishment if a woman allows a man who is not her husband to sleep with her… only for her parents to demand a bride price from the man who wants to marry her… For you to be a bride, you must be chaste.”
As expected, his comments have divided public opinion drawing harsh criticism from those who consider the view outdated and biased, while others applaud his attempt at cultural reflection.
