A Nigerian man, Nelson Igboke, has stirred debate with his perspective on abolishing the rising conversations around DNA testing and paternity fraud.
Addressing the issue in a Facebook post, Igboke argued against the use of DNA testing within the Igbo tradition, citing cultural values that prioritize familial unity over biological certainty.
According to him, in Igbo Land, whether biological or not, a child born under the roof of a man is duly his child regardless of what science says.
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 stance has sparked widespread reactions, with some supporting the idea as a safeguard for familial peace while the majority challenged it as a means of enabling paternity fraud.
A social media user @gera_ike stated: “My gender go accept this one but won’t accept polygamy as Igbo tradition.”
Another user @chynexie added: “Any child born in the marriage is the husbands own ONLY with the husbands consent and this pertains to husbands who can’t father a child or children. If there’s not consent for the wife to do so and she does so it’s BETRAYAL of the highest order. Emphasis on CONSENT. Even married women who can’t concieve sometimes go out and marry another wife for their husbands with their husband’s consent just to be able to have children to continue the lineage. Don’t mix up traditions Mr. Man.”