A Nigerian man, Nelson Igboke, has sparked an online debate with his controversial opinion on the rising discourse surrounding DNA testing and its implications for paternity fraud within the context of Igbo culture.
In a Facebook post, Igboke argued that DNA testing contradicts traditional Igbo values, emphasizing that the Igbo cultural system prioritizes the unity and sanctity of the family above biological verification. He asserted that any child born within the confines of a marriage automatically belongs to the husband of the woman, as dictated by Igbo customs.
He wrote: “The advent of DNA test should be abolished in Igboland. Our culture made it explicitly clear that every child born in marriage is owned by the woman’s husband.”
His viewpoint has elicited mixed reactions on social media, with some individuals supporting his perspective as a way of preserving family harmony, while others strongly criticized it as a stance that could potentially encourage paternity fraud.
One user, @gera_ike, commented: “My gender go accept this one but won’t accept polygamy as Igbo tradition.”
Another user, @chynexie, provided a detailed counter-argument, stating: “Any child born in the marriage is the husband’s own ONLY with the husband’s consent, especially in cases where the husband cannot father children. Without consent, any act of bearing children outside the husband’s knowledge is the highest form of betrayal. Even in Igbo tradition, women who cannot conceive often arrange for their husbands to marry another wife, with the husband’s full approval, to continue the family lineage. Don’t confuse traditions, Mr. Man.”
This debate has underscored the tension between cultural practices and modern technological advancements in determining paternity.
