'Marriage lists are keeping many youths from marrying' - Pastor Agble

Pastor John Wesley Amenuku Agble has criticised the practice of imposing elaborate marriage lists on young couples, arguing that excessive financial demands are contributing to delayed marriages among the youth.

Speaking during a church service which has since gone viral, Pastor Agble said families should avoid placing unnecessary financial burdens on young men seeking to marry their daughters, particularly when both prospective spouses are graduates and are still trying to establish themselves financially.

He questioned the rationale behind preparing extensive lists of items for prospective husbands, arguing that young men should instead be allowed to honour their future in-laws according to their financial capacity.

“What is so beautiful when your daughter is of age and is going to marry, the family comes and they ask, ‘What do you tell them? If on that day you want us to meet, bring your family members?’” he said.

Pastor Agble said the initial meeting between the two families should primarily be about building relationships, getting to know one another, sharing a meal and exchanging pleasantries.

He argued that such meetings should not become an avenue for families to impose expensive demands on prospective husbands.

Kasoa boys introduced me to drugs - Funny Face recounts

According to him, if a young man wants to honour the bride’s parents, he should be given the freedom to decide what he can afford rather than being presented with a long list of items to provide.

“Do we have to make a list for you? Two graduates, they all completed school. You expect the guy who completed school with your daughter, after three years, to be able to make that list?” he asked.

Pastor Agble said financial demands associated with marriage were becoming a major obstacle for some young people who genuinely wanted to formalise their relationships.

He said some couples were choosing to have children without formally marrying because they could not afford the costs associated with traditional and religious marriage ceremonies.

“Because of marriage list, a lot of youth are not married and they have children with their girls. Is that what is happening? Let’s be honest. The church is aware.”

He said the situation required honest reflection from families and churches, particularly as many young people were struggling to secure stable employment and build their financial independence.

Pastor Agble further criticised what he described as hypocrisy among some Christians, saying some couples continue to live together and have children even though their families and churches are aware that they have not formally married.

“Both parents are aware and we say we are Christians. So what they’re doing is committing fornication. They are living perpetually by this fornication because they don’t have the blessings of both parents. They don’t have the blessings of the church, and they are living comfortably. They have children,” he continued.

He therefore called for a rethink of marriage-list practices, urging families to consider the economic realities confronting young people before making demands.

Pastor Agble said marriage should be approached as a union between two families and individuals rather than as a financial transaction that places one party under undue pressure.

He also urged churches to engage families and young couples more actively on the issue and promote practices that encourage responsible and formal marriages.

Because of marital list, a lot of youth are not married — Pastor John Wesley Amenuku Agble #Hitz1039Fm pic.twitter.com/RHo2qdk6S8

— Hitz 103.9 FM (@Hitz1039FM) August 22, 2026