From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki
Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has said his father, Ezekiel Nwifuru Nwankpu, married over 30 wives because of the intimidation and humiliation he suffered in his community.
Nwankpu got married to over 30 wives but some of them were delisted because they could not bear any child in the family, leaving 19 of them.
However, only 17 of them are currently with him with 108 children. Twenty one of the children including governor Nwifuru are graduates.
The governor said his father got rich unannounced through his hard work as a notable farmer which made members of his Agbaja community envious of him. He was intimidated and humiliated, he narrated.
Nwifuru stated this at the weekend during the coronation of his father as the traditional ruler of the newly created Oferekpe Agbaja autonomous community.
The community which has 17 villages was created this year through the law passed by the state House of Assembly. It was carved from Agbaja community.
The coronation attracted three former governors of the state, Sam Egwu, Martin Elechi and David Umahi as well as other stakeholders of the state.
Addressing the mammoth crowd, Nwifuru described his father as a hard-working man.
He noted that he was humiliated by his relatives, neighborhoods, and the entire community because he excelled his equals.
This, according to the governor, earned his father loneliness till he began to marry wives to be his companions and helping hands in pursuit of his dreams.
“My father’s decision to marry many wives was influenced by the intimidation and humiliation he endured from villagers in his quest for greatness.”
He urged his father to use his position to foster peace, equity and justice within the community and never to use it to revolt against those who might have erred him in the past.
“Do not use this revered position to seek revenge or perpetuate injustice. Rather, let it be a symbol of unity, fairness and service to humanity,” he admonished.