Nigerian actress and media personality Ariyike Owolagba, widely known as Ariyiike Dimples, has opened up about the reason she stopped attending church for three years.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Open Up Podcast, the actress revealed that she withdrew from her community church after an elderly church member criticised her outfit and claimed she would “go to hell” for wearing a pencil skirt.
Read Also: Yemi Solade opens up on rift with Church, Nollywood origins, religious hypocrisy
Ariyike explained that the incident left her feeling attacked and unfairly judged, prompting her decision to stop attending church altogether.
“In my community church, you see only elderly people. You barely see the young ones. The young ones have gone to other churches. It was too serious. Yes, you can have your doctrines, but there is a way you can simplify it for young people and take them in without judging them,” she said.
Recounting the encounter, she added:
“The reason I stopped going to church was because I wore a pencil skirt to church and an elderly woman said I will go to hell fire. I was shocked and felt wrongly judged, so I stopped going to church for three years. And thankfully, I was already out of my parents’ house.”
The movie star further revealed that the elderly woman reported her to her father. She said she had to send a picture of the skirt to her mother to show that she was not dressed indecently.
However, her father, who believes strongly in the idea of community discipline, sided with the elder.
To avoid further confrontation and judgement, Ariyike decided to stay away from the community church.
Despite the unpleasant experience, the actress stressed that she remains a practising Christian.
