Nollywood actress and filmmaker Toyosi Etim-Effiong has urged her fellow women to consider dressing decently to church.

Her message however sparked conversations about church attire how to dress modestly when attending services.

On August 25, 2024, Toyosi took to Instagram to address women, urging them to differentiate how they dress at clubs from how they dress at church, emphasising the sanctity of the church.

She wrote, “My gender, please, nau, let’s dress differently to church. The cloth for Zaza is not the cloth for the church. The church is supposed to be a holy ground. A place where you’re (supposed to be) GUARANTEED to meet with GOD – your creator, the King that earthly kings bow to, the One your bosses acknowledge as the ALMIGHTY!”
“Why does it seem like you show these people more respect in your dressing than you show your GOD? Is church about GOD or something else? And if it is about both Him and something else, what is a priority?” she asked.

However, her post sparked a variety of reactions from social media users and led to some backlash from some. While some Instagram users agreed with her stance, others criticised the post as overly judgmental.

An Instagram user slammed Toyosi saying, “Hush! Who made you fashion police of churchgoers?! I Too Know. If that’s all I got to wear that’s what I’m wearing. The most important is that I went to church & not to be judged. I’m pretty sure God will not judge me based on that. He only sees the inward appearance not my outward appearance (that’s human problem). No, thanks for nothing.”

Another Instagram user defended her stance, arguing that modesty should be a universal practice.

She wrote, “I don’t think believers should dress indecently at all. The Holy Spirit you claim to have in you should speak to you when you dress indecently. Church or not, practice modestly. You’re a priceless jewel bought by the precious blood of Jesus. Stop exposing your bodies, please.”

“ALWAYS MY GENDER!!!! Trying to form “woke” with indecent dressing even inside church! Awon omo Eran!!!! I love being a Catholic sha, you will not enter lailai!!!! another user wrote.