In a world where virtue is mocked and purity is misunderstood, standing for premarital abstinence often feels like standing alone. But Ekene Umenwa, a Nigerian actress and minister, has become a voice for those who choose sacred boundaries over societal expectations. “My past relationships didn’t end because I lacked love or loyalty,” she says. “They ended because I said no to sex before marriage.” Her words have awakened a rising conversation among young African women clinging to purity, not as fear, but as fire refined in faith.
I recall a day I embarked on street evangelism in Abuja. I met a young lady gifted with a prophetic mantle. As I ministered to her, the Holy Spirit stirred my heart with urgency: warn her again about the dangers of premarital sex and call her back to purity. She wept and confirmed that God had been speaking to her too. Yet, within weeks, she gave herself to a man who dangled a false promise of marriage. It broke my heart. Many like her carry divine destinies, yet are deceived by counterfeit affection dressed as love. As the Holy Bible says, “My people perish for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6).
Some girls are deceived by twisted myths: that remaining a virgin for too long can harm the body or even lead to spiritual attacks. Others are fed lies that virgins are targets for rituals or that “you’ll lose him if you don’t give in.” These are satanic suggestions whispered in classrooms, bush paths, and dark corners of peer pressure. Yet, beyond the myths lies a painful reality — countless married women cry at night, not because they didn’t love, but because they wished they had waited. Their tears are silent sermons of regret echoing in homes where covenant was replaced with compromise.
Dr. Juanita Bynum once declared, “When you sleep with a man outside of covenant, you give him the harvest of a field he never sowed into.” Bishop David Oyedepo teaches, “Righteousness is the highway to dignity; sin is the expressway to destruction.” To give your body without a vow is to auction royalty at a discount. God is not trying to punish us with purity — He’s preserving us for divine purpose. “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man does is without the body, but he who commits fornication sins against his own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18).
Sex is not just a physical act. It’s a covenant exchange, a spiritual alignment, and a prophetic joining of destinies. The enemy knows this, which is why he wages war on purity. Virginity isn’t weakness; it is strength with a seal. Jesus is not just interested in our salvation but in our sanctification — our ability to say “no” in a world screaming “yes.” He said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). What the world calls old-fashioned, heaven calls holy.
Ekene Umenwa’s stand isn’t unique — it’s a trumpet for a generation. “I wasn’t saying no because I hated sex,” she says. “I said no because I love God more. I want to enter my marriage bed without shame or regret. I want to present myself to my husband unspoiled, like a garden kept for the right season.” These words cut through a noisy culture where instant gratification is idolized. In truth, love that rushes you into sin is not love — it’s manipulation dressed in flattery.
To every young lady reading this, don’t pity the man who can’t wait — pity the woman who loses herself trying to be loved. You are not a consolation prize. You are a daughter of the King. Your womb is not for testing, your soul not for leasing. The man who truly loves you will wait, worship with you, and walk you down the aisle — not into temptation, but into covenant.
And to the young man reading this, remember Joseph ran from Potiphar’s wife because destiny was heavier than desire. If God has chosen you for kingship, don’t sleep on Delilah’s lap. The journey is too great for compromise. Sex can wait, but destiny cannot.
As I close, this is not just an opinion — this is an altar call. Jesus is calling you not to perfection but to repentance. You may have made mistakes, but His blood still speaks better things. Return to Him. Clean your garment. Guard your heart. Build again the altar of holiness. One day, your wedding will not just be a celebration — it will be a testimony. And your spouse will look into your eyes and say, “Thank you for waiting.”
“Therefore, honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:20).
Your purity is your prophecy.
Guard it like gold.
– Inah Boniface Ocholi writes from Ayah – Igalamela/Odolu LGA, Kogi state.
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