Church Delivers Bride ‘To Satan’ Over Alleged Refusal of Sex
By Adewale Owoade
An Abuja-based church, Holiness Revival Movement Worldwide, has expelled a newly married woman, Oyiza, from its congregation for allegedly refusing to consummate her marriage with her husband, Isaac.
The couple, who resided in Ibadan, Oyo State, were joined in matrimony on September 6, 2025, after completing traditional rites in Okene, Kogi State, and a court wedding in Ibadan.
However, shortly after the ceremony, the marriage reportedly ran into crisis as the bride resisted her husband’s attempts at intimacy, insisting that she did not love him. She was said to have accused her mother of coercing her into the union.
Saturday PUNCH gathered that repeated efforts by both families and church leaders to resolve the dispute failed, as the bride allegedly remained adamant.
In a video posted on the church’s YouTube channel in February, the International Director of the movement, Pastor Paul Rika, announced her expulsion after five months of mediation.
During the announcement, the cleric described her as a “demon,” declared that she must be punished and accused her of spiritism. He urged members to pray for her “destruction,” alleging that she had brought shame to the assembly.
“So, we have delivered her to Satan. We have expelled, excommunicated her. You want to bring shame — what do you mean that you don’t love Isaac?” he said.
The cleric also referenced past cultural practices in which reluctant brides were compelled to go to their husbands’ homes.
Speaking in the video, Isaac described the marriage as suffocating.
“If I came back from work and sat at the dining table, she would say no. I was not even free until I bathed and changed my clothes. It was a struggle,” he said.
“In the kitchen, if she was cooking and I returned home tired, she would ask me to join her because I promised to assist her. Everything felt like I was in a cage.”
Isaac said he made several efforts to show love and affection but claimed his wife did not reciprocate.
Oyiza was not present in church to respond to the allegations levelled against her.
A marriage counsellor, Sunday Anani, who commented on the development, said societal pressure often forces individuals into marriages they are not emotionally prepared for.
“Society does not let some people be free. It is time for you to get married. Some would rather not touch the concept of marriage at all, but society forces them into it,” he said.
Anani noted that sexual trauma or previous abuse could also contribute to resistance to intimacy.
“Sex is emotional before it becomes physical. Without a heart connection, it is difficult, especially in marriage, for intimacy to happen,” he said.
“If someone has experienced sexual assault or near-rape in the past and has not healed from that trauma, it can make it difficult to open up to a partner.”
He also questioned the decision to proceed with the marriage despite prior reservations.
“If a woman has already told you she does not want sex, why go ahead to marry her?” he asked.