Pastor Peace Ibiyeomie, wife of Salvation Ministries founder Pastor David Ibiyeomie, has stirred reactions after advising married women to be careful about the kind of friendships they keep, especially with divorced women who are unwilling to remarry or reconcile with their former husbands.
Speaking during a Mother’s Day service in Rivers State, the cleric said some divorced women often project negative views about marriage while secretly maintaining relationships with men behind closed doors.
“Don’t make a divorcee your close friend, even if she is your sister,” she said. “Encourage her to either reconcile with her husband or remarry.”
Ibiyeomie claimed that many single and divorced women publicly downplay the importance of men, but privately continue romantic and intimate relationships.
“They will tell you men are not important, but behind the scenes they are still involved with men,” she said. “Some ladies have personally admitted this to me. One of them even said that was why she now wants to remarry.”
The pastor questioned why some women criticise marriage while still maintaining relationships with men.
“If men are truly not important as they claim, then why are they still sleeping with them?” she asked.
She also warned against allowing the pain of a failed marriage to negatively influence others.
“Just because your marriage failed does not mean you should destroy another person’s home,” she added.
Ibiyeomie concluded by urging women to surround themselves with positive influences, saying the company a person keeps can either shape or damage their future.
“The people around you can either lift you up or pull you down. Live in a way that leaves behind a meaningful legacy,” she said.
