Nike Folagbade, a renowned Family Life Coach and Counsellor, has embarked on a mission to provide support and guidance to women facing challenges in their marriages through her transformative program, Warrior Brides Network. With a focus on emotional wholeness, personal growth, and the wisdom to transform marriages, the faith-based curriculum has already impacted the lives of women in over 13 countries. In an exclusive interview, Nike shares her journey, the urgent mandate she received to start the network, and how it has become a catalyst for healing and restoration in countless marriages.
Can you tell us more about the urgent mandate you received to start Warrior Brides Network? What inspired you to take action?
For 7 years, I spent my time impacting and coaching singles in the areas of experiencing emotional wholeness, personal transformation and healthy relationships, I never wanted to delve into marriage counselling because of the complexities of the issues that I have heard about and those I had to deal with.Fast forward to 2019, I got certified in Family Systems Engineering which inspired me to pay attention to the family space but the Lord started a deep work in my life which led to my transition and area of specialization in marriage counselling which is helping couples in difficult marriages. He took me on a journey where He revealed to me the causes of dark and troubling issues happening in marriages today, which sometimes defy psychological intervention. It became a schooling process as He started to show me answers to questions I have always been bothered about in marriage. The Lord also permitted me to experience some marital challenges because it was going to be an opportunity to understand what people were facing and how to deal with it properly.
It was in this schooling process that I began to understand issues like – sudden hatred in marriage, sexlessness between couples, twisted communication, narcissism, lack of connection that used to exist, difficult communication breakdown, deep anger and pride, consistent infidelity, ungodly in-law interferences, infertility issues, family patterns like polygamy, marital delay, generational marital crisis, faulty foundations, rejection issues, addictions, marital chaos in marriage where a spouse is unwilling to bend or cooperate to make things better even after or without therapy. Some of the causes can be personality related, lack of shared values and beliefs but for some of the marriages we have, it comes deeper than this.
So I was led to create an online course with a robust curriculum and this has helped many women in over 13 countries. This mandate was released to women because it was easy to attract them (as a woman too) into a support group and program and as they elevate their identity and heal, they are able to deal with the issues accordingly which impacts the husbands too as we have some husbands now seeking our support. The level of vulnerability that would be shared and exposed needs a focus on women in the groups, the men’s version is going to be released soon too. Earlier this year, God gave us the instruction to steward this program into different cities and countries to reach more people physically hence the tour.
What is the main goal of the Warrior Brides Network curriculum program, and how does it help women in difficult marriages?
Warrior Brides Network is a versatile membership-based community, a FAITH BASED curriculum designed to help women experience emotional wholeness, discover their life purposes, elevate their identities, learn the wisdom for transforming their marriages (because every marriage has a unique blueprint) and then effectively parent their children.
Too many women have lost their voices, identities, vision and self-worth due to difficult marriages. Some have committed suicide, while others have relegated themselves to a painful life of emotional trauma and sickness. Nobody deserves to suffer because of a decision to cleave.In Warrior Brides Network, women are guided into the different decisions they need to make. For some, it is a pathway to the transformation they want to experience in their marriage. While, for other women, it is the support and guidance they need to come out of the bondage they have found themselves —without losing their true selves. WBN is a total program that gives you a robust learning pathway to DISCOVER YOU, RECONNECT WITH GOD AND CREATE A TRANSFORMED MARRIAGE.
The program is structured with weekly video modules, assessment, small groups, workbooks, resources, prayer support, books review, counseling and group sessions that helps them experience the transformation they truly need. Even from the very first week, many of them start encountering light. We also have the prophetic activation sessions with one of our vision partner and friend, Minister Jumoke Ayegbusi which helps the women shift from the current dark issue into a season of clarity and strength.
How do you plan to build an army for God through the Warrior Brides Network? Can you explain your strategy?
As women come into the program, they realize that they also have a faulty foundation and childhood trauma that have led them to the choices they made. This awareness helps them to focus on their healing and transformation in the program and the changes they exhibit begins to impact their marriage positively or lead them to a different marital decision especially when abuse is concerned. After they go through the program, most of them become volunteers towards the program to guide the new women in the new cohorts, some sponsor women during every batch while some begin to tell other women of the need for them to join this program. Some of them take the message to their family, church and neighborhood and this helps us to build an army. As we go into different cities and countries, we have members in those locations who are going to join us to make the program successful through mobilizing people and donating funds to make this a reality.
What territories do you plan to cover during your tour around Nigeria, Africa, and abroad? Why did you choose those locations?
We are choosing major locations where we can easily mobilize people and places where we have representatives too. We have held the Lagos edition, we are holding Abuja edition on May 20th and we would also go to Port Harcourt, United Kingdom, USA and some African countries we are still trying to decide on but we have Ghana and South Africa in mind.
How do you plan to measure the impact of the Warrior Brides Network on women’s lives and marriages?
We are focusing on measurement like: personal transformation due to the counsel and knowledge they are introduced to, a decision to heal and focus on emotional stability, a change in how they operate and navigate their marriage, a deep desire to grow spiritually and discover their purpose, an intentional decision to parent in a more strategic way and a foundational deliverance that makes them whole, liberated and fulfilled.
What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced while starting the Warrior Brides Network, and how did you overcome them?
The major challenge was convincing women that the program is not just about changing their husbands but for their own growth and transformation. With this in place, they were able to go through the program and notice that the curriculum was designed intentionally for them. Though the tour is a free program, the WBN 12 weeks online course is a paid program which is quite affordable but we had women complain about paying for a faith based program, but on getting into the program, they started apologizing for stating that, they even felt we undercharged them and started sponsoring more women into new batches or just being generous with gifts and financial blessings which reveals that they were truly blessed. We also had challenges with helping women who needs this program but cannot afford it so every batch, we sponsor some women with either full or partial scholarship into the program.
Can you tell us about a specific success story of a woman who has gone through the Warrior Brides Network program and transformed her life and marriage?
We have had numerous stories but one of the stories that humbles me is of a woman based in the UK, she had bought my book and joined the program in one of the cohorts, she even sponsored 5 women to join during her own batch when she noticed some women pleasing for sponsorship on Instagram, she then sent me a message during the program that her marriage has been restored as she learnt so much from the book and the program. This woman took personal responsibility for her journey and engaged the resources and the result was phenomenal.
We also have another woman who had separation but experienced reconciliation right after her batch ended. There are lots of stories of restoration, of healing, of deliverance, of victory, of discovery of purpose and of a life that is thriving, we have many of these stories on the website at https://warriorbridesnetwork.com/testimonials/
How do you plan to sustain the momentum and growth of the Warrior Brides Network after the tour is over?
Since the program is an online program, we would continue to talk about the program and get more women to enroll. We also curate testimonials and share online. We do webinars that introduces people into the program also. We do a yearly hangouts for our women to meet and network with themselves and this becomes an opportunity for new people to join us and learn about what we do.
How can women who are interested in joining the Warrior Brides Network get involved? What is the process?
The WBN tour is a free event to reach out to the women, it is different from the main 12 weeks program itself, we open each batch twice or three times every year, for women to join, they can read the procedure on the site at https://warriorbridesnetwork.com/testimonials/
What message do you have for women who are struggling in their marriages and are looking for hope and healing?
Your life is deeper and beyond your marriage, you probably found yourself in a difficult marriage because you made a wrong choice, ignored red flags, didn’t expect your spouse to change after noticing perfection in them or you simply feel that you are repeating a pattern in your family. It is also possible that you married a man from a dysfunctional and faulty foundation, whatever the case may be, God is a God of restoration and second chances, He is seeking for your growth in Him. He has a great plan for you and truly loves you. Your marriage is not going to snatch you out of His purposes for you. He has been seeking you and desiring for your intimacy with Him. WBN is raising women who would become the Brides of Christ and live a life of purpose, kingdom exploits and fulfillment as you journey with Him. Whether your marriage works or not, remember that you were created for MORE and your life can still evolve no matter where you are. You may have gone through so much pain already but give God the opportunity to reveal to you the cause of these issues and stop using carnal tools to confront deep and dark issues. There are reasons behind your predicament and when you join WBN, you will have the opportunity to see the true cause and the possible solutions out of the current issue you are facing. Whether you are still married, seeking divorce or already separated, WBN will answer many questions for you and give you hope to thrive again.