“People date for 15 years and divorce two weeks after the wedding” – Celestine Donkor says long courtship, fasting, and prayers don’t guarantee a lasting marriage

Ghanaian gospel musician Celestine Donkor has ignited fresh debate on marriage stability, arguing that lengthy courtships, fasting, and prayers are no substitute for an unshakeable mutual commitment.

In a video posted alongside her husband, Kofi Donkor, on Sunday, May 3, 2026, the singer challenged the widely held belief that prolonged dating periods or intense spiritual preparations can secure a marriage’s future.

“It is not about how long you date or the fasting and prayers that make your marriage a lasting one,” she said. “People have dated for five, ten, or fifteen years. And the day they got married, they still saw something strange in their partner.”

Her husband interjected: “And two weeks later they started planning a divorce.”

The couple also criticised partners who extend courtships indefinitely under the guise of “still studying” each other.

“I saw a couple who had been dating for eight years, and when you ask them why they are not married, they will say they are still studying each other,” Celestine Donkor quipped. “Are you an economics or psychology course?”

Using a distinctly Ghanaian analogy, she compared marital commitment to a devoted waakye lover who refuses to give up the dish even on doctor’s orders.

“The same way, if you decide you will remain with your spouse and your spouse also makes the decision that ‘you and I, we are doing this for life,’ it will last,” she concluded.

The musician’s remarks have since sparked lively discussions on social media, with some applauding her realism and others insisting that extended courtship and prayer remain vital foundations for Christian marriage.