Esther Akoth Kokeyo, the prominent Kenyan musician and entrepreneur widely known as Akothee, has sparked a major online conversation. The Migori-born artist, who built a successful business empire including Akothee Safaris and the Akothee Foundation, is famous for her candid social media reflections.
In a lengthy online post, she raised hard-hitting questions about how society treats churchgoers compared to those outside of the religious fold.
Akothee questioned why people struggling inside the church receive less compassion than those outside. Her post challenged the expectations placed on believers and highlighted the struggles that occur behind closed doors.
The Double Standard of Judgment
Akothee questioned why church members face intense condemnation when they stumble, while others receive a pass. She pointed out a clear social double standard in how society reacts to personal failures.
She noted that many who appear devout are privately dealing with identical challenges.
"Why do we have people who have spent their entire lives in church—carrying Bibles, dressed beautifully every Sabbath or Sunday, preaching from the altar, moving crowds to tears—yet behind closed doors they are fighting the very same battles as the people they condemn outside the church?" she wrote.
She added: "Why do we behave as if entering church automatically removes human weakness?"
Leadership and Marital Struggles
The singer, who has openly shared her personal life with millions of followers, also turned her focus to religious leaders. She observed that pastors face marital difficulties.
"Someone tell me why pastors struggle in their marriages too," Akothee asked. "Why do church leaders experience infidelity, separation and divorce?"
She questioned the contradiction between public preaching and private reality. "Why can a pastor preach about marriage today and still find himself divorced tomorrow?" she asked.
She observed that the physical church building does not protect people from life's hardships.
She suggested that the institution's true purpose may have been misunderstood.
"Maybe the church was never supposed to be a museum for perfect people. Maybe it was supposed to be a hospital for broken people seeking God."
A Fear of Judgment Inside
In a highly religious country like Kenya, where the 2019 national census indicates that 85.5% of the population are Christians, the church plays a massive role in daily life. Yet Akothee expressed deep concern over the lack of empathy within these religious communities.
She noted that people outside the church often receive greater empathy than those inside.
"What hurts me most is that sometimes the person struggling outside the church receives more understanding than the person struggling inside it," she wrote.
This lack of support forces members to conceal their difficulties. "Inside, we hide our wounds because we are terrified of being judged," she shared.
Akothee challenged her readers to reflect on why they attend church. She asked: "Are we going to church because we have already become perfect—or because we desperately need God?"
