Justina Syokau reveals why you should date many people before getting into marriage
By Steve Ireri, January 16, 2026Gospel singer Justina Syokau has explained why she believes individuals should have relationship experience before committing to marriage.
Speaking during an interview with a local radio station on Thursday, January 15, 2026, Syokau recalled a weird encounter she once had with a man, saying his actions and words left a lasting impression on her.
She narrated that after a brief interaction, the man expressed a strong intention to marry her, despite them not having spent much time together or gone through a proper courtship period.
“So, there was this guy I was dating. One day he hugged me, and from that moment, it felt like he brainwashed me because he later said he had come to see me because he wanted to marry me, yet he had not even courted me or dated me for long,” she said.
Syokau said that at the time, she was young, naïve and deeply rooted in church life, which influenced how she perceived relationships.
She explained that her strong faith background made her vulnerable to accepting the proposal without fully understanding the man’s character or intentions.
“At that time, I was so naïve because I was very church-minded,” she said.
Reflecting on that experience, Syokau said it informed her belief that people should kiss many frogs before settling down, noting that exposure to different relationships helps individuals understand what they truly want in a partner.
She explained that people who have dated before are better placed to tell whether someone is supportive, genuine or suitable for marriage.
“That’s why I say it’s good to kiss a lot of frogs first so you can end up knowing who is who. Those who have been in relationships know and can tell whether a person is good, supportive, or not,” she clarified.
She further revealed that the man in question was the first person she had ever agreed to be with romantically, emphasising that she had never dated before due to her strict church upbringing.
Syokau shared that during her school years, she was actively involved in preaching to fellow students and later continued evangelism in marketplaces such as Emali, where she prayed for people and witnessed healings.
According to Syokau, her deep involvement in ministry and her sheltered background made it easy for her to accept the man’s marriage proposal when he presented it, as she lacked prior relationship experience to help her discern whether the decision was right.
“But for me, that man was the first person I had ever been with, and it was like I was brainwashed. He was the first man I had agreed to meet. I had never dated before because I was so saved. In high school, I was the one preaching to other students. Even after that, I was preaching in markets like Emali, praying for people, and they would receive healing. So, when the man said he wanted to marry me, I accepted,” she said.