Experts call for Re-defining Marriage Mindset at the ‘Changing the Narrative’ Redefining Spinsterhood and Bachelorhood conference in honour of Mopelola Arowosafe as “She Marks her 47th Birthday”

At the “Changing the Narrative: Redefining Spinsterhood & Bachelorhood” event—held in honour of Mopelola Arowosafe’s 47th birthday— seasoned speakers encouraged singles to embrace self-development, purpose and emotional strength before considering marriage.

Pst Samson Odegbami dismantled the belief that marriage automatically brings happiness, stressing that individuals must first be whole, emotionally stable and spiritually grounded.

He warned that many people marry for superficial reasons, insisting that love alone is not enough.

Odegbami emphasized the need for self-awareness, differentiating needs from wants, seeking God’s direction, dealing with personal issues and letting go of envy, jealousy and oversensitivity.

He noted that true readiness for marriage comes from spiritual, devotional, mental, relationship, financial, physical and emotional growth.

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Celebrant Mopelola Arowosafe described marriage as beautiful but not the ultimate indicator of success.

She urged singles not to lose themselves while waiting, reminding them that marriage thrives when two givers meet.

She encouraged investing, saving, increasing personal value, addressing flaws early and being intentional about the future. According to her, money must never be the first criterion because “assets don’t want liabilities.”

She added that everything a person displays in marriage begins to show during courtship.

Abimbola Fasanu advised singles to separate their needs from wants and turn their waiting period into a productive season of growth.

Lawal Afeez, Special Adviser to the Ogun State Governor on Youth Development, reinforced that being single is not failure.

He noted that responsibility comes from preparation, not marriage, and urged singles to avoid comparison, respect others, pursue purpose and use their single years to build value that enhances future relationships.

The program delivered a powerful unified message: self-discovery, preparation and purpose must come before marriage—not societal pressure.