Controversy as OPM pastor offers autistic daughter up for marriage, adds incentives

Controversy has trailed a decision by the founder of Omega Power Ministries (OPM), Chibuzor Chinyere, to seek a husband for his 21-year-old autistic adopted daughter, Chiemeka Chibuzor, with a package of financial and welfare incentives attached.

The cleric announced the plan in a Facebook post on Tuesday, stating that the arrangement was intended to secure the young woman’s future and ensure her wellbeing.

“I am giving out another of my adopted daughters in marriage. Her name is Chiemeka Chibuzor. She is 21 years old and has autism. She can speak and hear well,” he wrote.

Chinyere outlined conditions for interested suitors, noting that the individual must be young and physically and mentally fit. In return, he promised lifetime financial support, free accommodation, and a house to be jointly owned by the couple.

He also disclosed that the church would conduct periodic, unannounced visits to monitor her welfare, stressing that the move is designed to guarantee her safety and proper care.

However, the announcement has sparked debate across social and civic spaces, with many Nigerians raising concerns about consent, dignity, and the ethics of arranging marriages for individuals living with cognitive disabilities.

The development comes weeks after the cleric facilitated the marriage of a non-verbal autistic man popularly known as Aboy, a move that similarly drew mixed reactions nationwide.

Following criticism from that episode, Chinyere gifted the man, now renamed Elijah, a car and a plot of land, and appointed him as an ambassador for the church’s free school for children with autism and Down syndrome.

Observers say while efforts to support vulnerable individuals are commendable, such actions must be approached with caution, particularly where issues of personal choice and long-term welfare are involved.

As reactions continue to build, the latest development has once again brought to the fore broader questions about how society protects and empowers persons living with disabilities without undermining their rights.