Trending 
Pastor Kingsley Okonkwo, a relationship coach and counsellor, has defended his decision to get a tattoo, arguing that Christianity should not be boxed and reduced to rigid rules or personal preferences imposed on others.
Speaking during an interview on News Central TV, Okonjo said he has always been comfortable with tattoos and does not see them as contradictory to his faith.
He stated that the controversy surrounding it reflects misplaced priorities and an excessive focus on personal choices rather than Christian values.
“You can’t put Christianity in one box,” Okonjo said. “We can’t put people in a cage because of our personal preference.”
He stressed that body markings are not inherently wrong, describing them as a normal form of self-expression.
“Marking is normal,” he said. “What is so special about tattoos that people are focusing on? What makes tattoo bad? I still don’t get it.”
Okonjo said his role as a pastor does not include policing how others choose to live.
“My job is not to go around supervising other people’s choices,” he said, urging believers to shift their attention back to the core of the Christian faith.
“Focus on Christ.”
He noted that freedom of choice is central to Christian teaching, insisting that believers should operate within that liberty.
“Work in the liberty Christ has made you free,” he said, describing the debate as a matter of “personal preference.”
The pastor also questioned why his appearance had become a subject of national discussion, warning that such attitudes reflect a slow down in development.
“How my personal preference for my style is now a public discussion is what surprises me,” he said.
“When is Africa going to catch up with development if we are still thinking this way?”
The comments come as a widespread debate on social media following images of Okonkwo tattoo, with opinions sharply divided among religious and cultural commentators.
