Nigeria’s Relationship Coach Advocates Premarital Counselling

Gabi Hibbatullah

A Canada-based Nigerian relationship coach, matchmaker and author, Happiness Urefe Chifum, has advocated adequate premarital counselling and preparation for couples, stressing the need for emotional maturity, compatibility and shared values before marriage.

Chifum, founder of Team Happiness Official, a Christian relationship education and matchmaking platform, said the desire to get married should not be mistaken for readiness to build a successful marriage.

With more than 970,000 followers on TikTok, she uses social media to educate singles and married couples on healthy relationships, marriage preparation and personal development.

The platform also runs an educational support initiative for more than 80 children from financially disadvantaged backgrounds in Africa.

Originally from Nigeria, Chifum is based in Canada and holds a degree in Mass Communication from the University of Benin, Edo State.

Through Team Happiness Official, she offers relationship coaching, public and private matchmaking, premarital counselling, marriage counselling, workshops and educational content designed to help singles find compatible partners and enable couples to build healthier relationships.

The platform has attracted an international audience, with members of its community participating from countries across Africa, North America, Europe and other parts of the world.

Chifum has become particularly known for her live matchmaking programmes on TikTok, which provide marriage-minded Christian singles with opportunities to introduce themselves and connect with potential partners.

Unlike conventional dating platforms, Team Happiness Official operates according to defined relationship guidelines, promoting intentional relationships directed towards marriage.

The community emphasises honesty, respect, emotional maturity and sexual abstinence before marriage.

Participants are also discouraged from requesting or receiving money from prospective partners during the matchmaking process.

Her relationship education programmes address compatibility, personal boundaries, self-awareness, emotional health, communication, warning signs in relationships, financial expectations, faith, purpose and preparation for marriage.

“Love is important, but love alone is not enough to build a successful marriage. Compatibility, maturity, kindness, understanding, shared values and the willingness to grow together are equally important,” she said.

Chifum and members of the Team Happiness community have also been supporting children from financially disadvantaged backgrounds in Africa.

For approximately five years, the initiative has provided educational assistance, including school fees, supplies and other essential needs, with more than 80 children currently benefiting from the support, according to Chifum.

“When a child is willing to learn but may be forced out of school simply because the family cannot afford the cost, I believe we have an opportunity to make a difference.

“Team Happiness is not only about helping people find husbands or wives. It is about people, families, children and communities. If we have the ability to make somebody’s life better, that is also part of our purpose,” she said.

Chifum has also encouraged members of her online community to participate in the initiative, maintaining that every child, regardless of gender or family background, deserves an opportunity to receive an education.