Na serious gist dey ground for Omega Power Ministries as Aboy Chibuzor, the autistic son wey Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere adopt, don finally tie the knot. The wedding happen just days after the pastor make public appeal for wife for the boy, and the matter don cause plenty talk up and down.
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For those wey no know, Aboy na non-verbal autistic man wey dem abandon for OPM gate when him small. Apostle Chibuzor don dey take care of am since that time. Last week, the pastor come out with video wey him dey beg for woman wey go agree marry Aboy. Him promise the woman house, overseas vacation, N10 million wedding gift, and even N20 million after ten years if Aboy still dey alive.
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But as the video blow, many people come vex. Women especially talk say the pastor dey degrade them by using money entice them to marry person wey no fit give proper consent. The matter trend for social media, with some people even call for government to investigate the whole arrangement.
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After the backlash, Apostle Chibuzor come out apologize. Him talk say him no mean to disrespect women, but him just dey find solution for Aboy wey need care. “I have more than 500 children wey dem abandon for my gate over the years,” the pastor yarn. “Some get disabilities like autism. I no fit abandon them.”
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Despite all the controversy, the wedding still hold on Sunday, March 29. The ceremony happen for OPM, and Apostle Chibuzor officiate am himself. Photos from the wedding show Aboy and him new wife wey look older than am, both of them dey smile for the altar.
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After the wedding, the pastor come post for Facebook say Aboy, for the first time since him become adult, feed himself without help during the wedding. “Miracles don start to happen,” Apostle Chibuzor write. “I believe say before six months, God go completely heal am and he go begin talk.”
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But the real talk come from the wife herself. In interview with the pastor, the woman wey marry Aboy talk say na God direct am for the marriage. She reveal say she no be virgin, and she already get three children from previous marriage wey her husband don die.
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“When the announcement come out last week, I no even pay attention,” she talk. “I just dey wonder wetin be this. I no know say God get purpose for me inside.” She explain say about three days ago, God tell am to go fulfil wetin Him send am to do.
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The woman talk say she don turn down many marriage proposals before because she make vow to God. “Many people don ask me for marriage, but I tell Jesus say my body na for Him,” she yarn. “No man go deflower me until He give me my own husband. Na vow wey I make.”
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She insist say her decision na divine assignment. “God na the one wey direct me to marry am. I go marry am and take care of am as both my son and my husband,” she talk with strong voice. She even add say she go serve am as king and brother.
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For social media, reactions dey mixed pass garri. Some people dey happy for Aboy, while others dey worry about the whole arrangement. One user wey name utankpe talk say: “My pain na say the boy no get capacity to give consent to marriage or sex. Dem only owe am right to care, and professionals dey wey fit deliver the care wey he need. OPM and this bride need to bring to book.”
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Another user wey name meeldread talk: “Omo!!! This boy need caregiver. Which kind sacrifice you dey talk about?? Na the money make you do this mummy. God abeg o. You go take care of am as son. Leave am there.”
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But some people dey support the marriage. Teggie17 talk: “May he receive healing. The woman look like she go fit care for am. He get special needs. Both of them look happy, na that one matter.”
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The matter don even enter Catholic church. One Catholic priest wey name Father Prince Chidi Philip write open letter to Apostle Chibuzor, talk say marrying off mentally vulnerable person na “spiritually irresponsible.” Him advise say the pastor suppose pursue behavioural therapy and professional care instead.
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As the gist dey spread, many people dey ask if Aboy even know say him don marry. For the wedding photos, the boy just dey smile, and some people talk say him no look like person wey understand wetin dey happen.
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Meanwhile, OPM members don show support for the couple. One member donate N1 million, another one give N200,000. The pastor talk say the couple go get all the gifts wey him promise, including the house and overseas vacation.
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The whole matter still dey cause plenty argument online. Some dey talk say na exploitation of vulnerable person, others dey talk say na miracle wey God dey work. As for the new wife, she stand by her decision, talk say na God send am for the work.
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For now, Aboy and him wife don begin their married life with plenty money and property, but with even more plenty questions from the public. The matter don show how complex issues of disability, consent, and religion fit be for Naija society.
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