Reactions have continued to pour in following the marriage of the autistic adopted son of the General Overseer of Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere to a woman from his church on Sunday.
Over the weekend, the cleric had publicly introduced the young man on social media, urging women interested in marrying him to come forward. Less than 24 hours later, a woman accepted the proposal, alongside financial incentives offered by the church.
The wedding has sparked a wave of reactions and concerns among Nigerians.
Legal Concerns
Former Chairperson of FIDA in Rivers State, Adata Bio-Briggs, questioned the legality of the marriage, saying, “This marriage appears to be void ab initio. In simple terms, it appears to be an illegal marriage, void from the very beginning. I don’t want to believe that the said church is not licensed to conduct marriages. If it is not licensed, then what happens there as marriages are just church blessings?”
Public Reactions
Social media users have also expressed outrage over the union. Facebook user
Chisom Pretty wrote: “According to OPM man, the boy has a sexual urge he cannot control… Now my questions are: will the widow live with him and her three kids? Did she think it through? Is this what the society has for widows? If you do not see anything wrong with this arrangement, then something is fundamentally wrong with you. You need urgent medical attention.”
Bodisere Gidigidin added: “In saner climes, police go don pack everybody. From pastor to new wife. Anything you’re doing with someone who isn’t of sound mind… is enough to land you inside a cool cell. How old is this boy sef? The day the consequences will remember you don’t cry oh.”
Happiness Ojotu also questioned the welfare of the young man, saying,
“Did this boy consent to this? Let’s support the right things irrespective. That boy isn’t up to 25 if I’m not mistaken. He should be in a proper SEN home, being shadowed, and we have a couple of good ones in Nigeria… with qualified carers.”
The wedding has ignited debates about consent, and the treatment of persons with special needs.
