“Church almost turned me into a runs girl” — lady opens up on choir uniform pressure that pushed her to quit

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“Church almost turned me into a runs girl” — lady opens up on choir uniform pressure that pushed her to quit

A Nigerian woman has shared how excessive demands placed on choir members in her former church nearly pushed her into doing things she was not comfortable with, all in the name of appearances.

According to her, she joined the church choir as a young girl fresh out of secondary school because she loved singing and had a strong voice. Things, however, quickly changed when she realised the choir operated with an endless list of compulsory outfits.

She said the choir required multiple uniforms — different camisoles, suits, shoes, and colours — for different Sunday services, sometimes with outfit changes on the same day. With services held weekly and expectations always changing, keeping up became financially draining.

She explained that many young girls in the choir, including her peers, began compromising themselves just to afford the required clothes and shoes.

“If you didn’t have the clothes, you were pushed to the background,” she said. “They treated you like you didn’t matter.”

She added that girls who could afford expensive shoes and bags were favoured, while those from humble backgrounds were ignored, sidelined, or gossiped about. According to her, the pressure was so intense that she felt the system indirectly encouraged young girls to source money however they could, as long as they showed up looking “presentable” on stage.

She questioned why churches that insist on constant wardrobe changes do not sponsor the outfits themselves.

“If you want your choir changing clothes every week, then sponsor it,” she said. “Where do you expect young girls to get the money from?”

She also alleged that cliques existed within the choir and church, where only a select group received support and recognition, while others were dismissed or humiliated.

Eventually, she said she withdrew from the choir and returned to sitting with the congregation. That decision, she added, sparked gossip and criticism, but it also helped her regain clarity.

“I caught myself before I lost myself,” she said, explaining that stepping away forced her to start thinking critically about what she was experiencing.

She concluded by warning young people to be careful of environments that prioritise aesthetics over wellbeing, saying unchecked pressure in religious spaces can quietly derail lives if not questioned early.

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