Nigerian ex-beauty queen, Omowunmi Akinnifesi has stated that she made a promise to God at the age of 18 to remain a virgin.
In a recent episode of her podcast, the 37-year-old former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) winner discussed her choice to refrain from sexual intercourse.
Akinnifesi clarified that she established a personal commitment with God by choosing to stay a virgin.
She highlighted that her dedication to sexual purity was about consecration to God rather than being “celibate.”
The model stated that, especially in her twenties, she had battled the stigma and guilt associated with her virginity.
“Things are very different right now. The way women are now almost as if we do not understand our values anymore. Personally, I had a covenant with God when I was 18 about keeping myself. People say celibate but I have never done it before. There was nobody there for me,” she said.
“For me, I spent all of my 20s making mistakes and doing what I knew best because I have kept to myself. I walked in shame for a very long time. I had friends I could not talk to and when I finally spoke to them they would laugh at me.
“Even worse, the stories that I hear about myself, that I have dated some people, would make you believe that I actually do not mind because it helped mark the real me.
“Imagine being okay with negative stories about you because you are masking something that you thought would be an embarrassment. Something like virginity. In the world today, it was very hard for me but I survived it by God’s grace. But I can only imagine the girl out there who has decided to keep herself. She feels ashamed because it feels really different from the rest of the world.
“I was very ashamed about it. And the older it got worse. As I have grown I come to realise that I cannot stand before the mirror and be ashamed because I kept my body.”
