A pastor has incurred the wrath of the youth in his town, following a decision he made to stop a young lady from getting married. Pastor Gideon Chizoba of the Grace of God Mission in Nweke Ndiagu, Effium, Ebonyi state, received a thorough beating after some of the youths in the village learnt of the role he played in the marriage of a young lady identified as Onyinye Nomeh.
According to reports, even after her dowry had been received by her father, Mr Chukwuma Nomeh, Pastor Chizoba said since he wasn’t the one who received the dowry on Onyinye’s behalf, the marriage wouldn’t be allowed to continue.
Onyinye who attends his church, was asked to ensure that her father returned her dowry to the man who came to marry her, even though she was already married traditionally. She carried out the instructions she received, as her father had no choice but to call his in-laws to receive the dowry, despite all his efforts to change his daughter’s mind.
Mr Nomeh also reportedly met the pastor and pleaded with him to allow his daughter get married to someone she chose, and when he refused, he took the matter to his kinsmen after Onyinye and her step-sister packed their belongings to Pastor Chizoba’s church, but their efforts yielded no fruits.
Even after Pastor Chizoba was arrested by the police following Nomeh’s report, he still refused to release the girls, which led to the involvement of the youths who threatened the pastor and destroyed some of his properties.
They also reportedly took N800,000 which was meant for the church’s building project. Explaining what transpired, Pastor Chizoba said: “I told Onyinye and the husband to go for medical test before they will be wedded but the girl’s father opposed my advice.
He said he did not undergo medical test when he married his own wife and therefore his daughter will not go for any medical test. The man had collected the daughter’s dowry in my absence and I asked why such thing was done in my absence because I have to be around to witness it.’’
Onyinye said: “I decided to change my mind on the marriage which is my right. So, I don’t think it is right for anyone to force me to do what I decided not to do.’’
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