Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has ignited a social media storm after presenting a certificate of recognition and a staff of office to his father, Chief Ezekiel Nwifuru Nwamkpu, as a traditional ruler.

The ceremony, held in accordance with the Ebonyi State Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters Law (Cap 146), saw the governor charge his father to ensure peace and unity in his domain.

Governor Nwifuru used the occasion to recount the hardships his father endured in their community, which he claimed forced him into polygamy.

“If I continue to tell you the level of humiliation my father suffered at the hands of my people, everyone here will cry,” Nwifuru said. “Even this primary school we chose as the venue for this event was once our farmland, but they took it away and chased my father off his own land for no reason.”

He explained that the hostility his father faced prompted him to marry 19 wives and have 108 children to shield himself from further alienation.

The governor’s decision to crown his father has sparked mixed reactions online, with many debating the appropriateness of such an appointment and the personal motivations behind it.