Pastor Ezekiel Odero of New Life Prayer Centre and Church has stirred widespread reactions on social media after making controversial remarks about women named Diana during a church service.
In a sermon that has since circulated widely online, the televangelist claimed that women bearing the name Diana share certain personality traits, including being controlling in relationships and allegedly being unfaithful to their partners. His comments quickly attracted mixed reactions, with some people finding them humorous while others criticised them as unfair generalisations.
According to Pastor Ezekiel, men should be cautious before marrying women named Diana, arguing that they often take control of relationships and make it difficult for their husbands to lead.
“Anapendwa na wengi na utashare,” the preacher said while introducing the topic, before going on to describe what he believes are common characteristics associated with the name.
He further claimed that women named Diana are unlikely to submit to their spouses and suggested that some are prone to infidelity. However, he did not provide evidence to support the assertions, presenting them as observations made during his ministry.
The remarks quickly spread across social media platforms, where users expressed sharply divided opinions. While some viewers laughed at the comments and treated them as light-hearted observations, many others questioned the fairness of judging people based solely on their names.
Several women named Diana rejected the claims, saying a person’s character is shaped by values, upbringing and personal choices rather than the name given at birth. Others argued that such statements risk reinforcing stereotypes that can negatively affect innocent people.
Some social media users also speculated that the preacher’s comments may have been influenced by personal experiences, although there is no evidence to support those suggestions. Others simply viewed the sermon as an attempt to entertain the congregation while delivering a broader relationship message.