Love or Hunger? Pastor Bolaji Idowu Warns Against Dating While Broke – Is He Right?

Pastor Bolaji Idowu of Harvesters International Christian Center has sparked a fiery debate with his blunt relationship advice: don’t date when you’re jobless. Arguing that financial instability breeds toxic dependencies, Idowu claims many so-called “love stories” are just hunger-induced illusions. “When you have no money, you mistake desperation for attraction,” he declared, warning that poverty warps judgment, leading people to settle for crumbs instead of real connection. His analogy? Never negotiate on an empty stomach—you’ll take any bad deal. The pastor’s no-nonsense stance has struck a chord with those who believe money isn’t everything—until it’s the only thing keeping a relationship from crumbling under stress.

But critics fire back: Since when does unemployment cancel your right to love? While Idowu insists financial security is non-negotiable for healthy partnerships, opponents argue his take reduces romance to a transactional game—where only the employed “deserve” affection. The pastor doubled down, mocking ambitionless goals like “just traveling to America” as proof of a poverty mindset. Yet, his detractors counter that love isn’t a spreadsheet; emotional bonds can thrive even in struggle. The real question? Whether Idowu’s advice is a hard truth or a harsh oversimplification of love’s complexities. One thing’s clear: this debate isn’t going hungry for opinions.