Actress and media personality Ariyike Owolagba, popularly known as Ariyiike Dimples, has shared the experience that led her to stop attending her community church for three years.
During an appearance on the Open Up podcast, she recalled how an older woman in the church confronted her over her outfit, a modest pencil skirt, and condemned her for wearing it.
Ariyiike Dimples.
Actress on how she felt about the experience
Ariyiike said the encounter left her feeling unfairly judged, especially since the church was predominantly made up of elderly members who often imposed strict doctrinal expectations on younger people.
“In my community church, na only elderly people full there. Young people don commot go other churches,” she explained. “Yes, you can have your doctrines, but there’s a way to talk to young people without condemning them.”
The situation escalated when the woman reported her to her father. Ariyiike said she even had to send a photo of the outfit to her mother to show that she wasn’t dressed inappropriately.
Because her father strongly believed in communal discipline, she chose to avoid the church entirely to prevent further conflict.
“My dad believed in the idea of community raising a child, so I just avoided the community church completely,” she said.
Ariyiike maintains upholding her Christian faith
Despite stepping away from the congregation, Ariyiike emphasized that she never abandoned her Christian faith. Instead, she distanced herself solely from that particular church community due to the experience.