Lagos unveils online course for religious pre-marital counselors

Lagos unveils online course for religious pre-marital counselors

The Lagos State Government has launched a Religious Pre-Marital Counseling Online Course to strengthen families and prevent domestic violence.

The initiative was unveiled on Tuesday in Ikeja by the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA).

DSVA Executive Secretary, Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, said the programme would equip religious counsellors with knowledge and tools to guide intending couples effectively.

She said the initiative recognised the influential role of faith institutions in preparing couples for marriage and addressing relationship challenges.

Vivour-Adeniyi said: “Marriage has always been regarded as a sacred institution across cultures and faiths.

“However, many couples begin this journey without adequate preparation for partnership, communication and conflict resolution.”

She said poor preparation for marriage could sometimes lead to unhealthy relationships and domestic violence.

“The religious pre-marital counselling online course forms part of the state’s prevention strategy against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence,” she said.

Vivour-Adeniyi said marriage preparation in Nigeria often began within faith communities where pastors, imams and counsellors guide intending couples.

She noted that while religious leaders were trusted figures, traditional counselling methods sometimes lacked structured frameworks for identifying relationship risk factors linked to domestic violence.

“Studies show more than 60 per cent of survivors noticed abusive tendencies before marriage but proceeded due to social pressure, hope for change or inadequate guidance.

“About 80 per cent of survivors in Lagos solemnised their unions through religious ceremonies, either in churches or through Islamic Nikah,” she said.

She said the statistics highlighted the strategic role of religious institutions in preventing domestic violence before marriages begin.

Vivour-Adeniyi also cited the Invictus Africa Womanity Index 2024, which showed that 71 per cent of survivors experienced violence within the home.

The report also indicated that 18 per cent of cases occurred in schools, eight per cent in workplaces, four per cent in religious settings and three per cent in public places.

She said the online course, available via safeguardingfamilies.org.ng, contains 10 modules delivered by experts in family education, psychology and marriage administration.

According to her, the curriculum combines faith-based guidance with psychological insights, relationship science, legal awareness and domestic violence prevention frameworks.

Vivour-Adeniyi said the programme would feature flexible learning methods, including self-paced modules, case studies, quizzes and certification for participants completing the training.

She said the government aimed to standardise pre-marital counselling across religious institutions and identify high-risk relationships early.

The initiative would also promote stable marriages and strengthen collaboration between faith communities and government agencies.

Vivour-Adeniyi said monitoring mechanisms would include certification of trained counsellors, anonymous feedback from couples and data tracking on domestic violence trends.

She also highlighted the agency’s Relationship Health Clinic, which provides counselling and intervention services for singles, intending couples and married partners.

She said the clinic used a diagnostic framework known as the RELATE Protocol to assess emotional literacy, accountability, trauma awareness and conflict dynamics.

Vivour-Adeniyi urged religious leaders, counsellors and intending couples to embrace the programme to help prevent domestic violence.

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She commended Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Deputy Gov. Obafemi Hamzat for supporting efforts to tackle sexual and gender-based violence.

She said: “Building safer homes is key to building a safer Lagos. The course is accessible to interested participants via safeguardingfamilies.org.ng.”

A counselling psychologist, Imam Adekunle Saheed, said the programme would strengthen religious leaders’ counselling practices and support couples towards successful marriages.

“Marriage is a forever journey, and forever is too long a journey to be unhappy,” Saheed said.

Also speaking, Venerable Henry Adelegan of the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos, said many marriages were endured rather than enjoyed due to inadequate preparation.

He attributed poor training as a major cause of broken marriages and stressed the need for the online pre-marital counselling course.