Promise Okoro holding the goat gift from his mother Chinyere. Credit: TikTok/Pinncode
Chinyere, the mother of a final-year student of the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Imo State, has explained why she gifted her son, Promise Okoro, a goat during his department’s sign-out ceremony.
The gesture, which was captured in a viral video, attracted cheers from students as Chinyere presented the goat to her son before hugging him tightly.
Speaking in an interview with BBC News Pidgin on Monday, the woman said the gift was her way of rewarding Promise for making her proud, obeying her instructions and staying away from cultism.
Promise Okoro holding the goat gift from his mother Chinyere. Credit: TikTok/Pinncode
She said she had promised to surprise him if he successfully completed his studies without disappointing her.
“I don’t have money for a 4matic jeep, and I love that guy, my son. I said, let me buy this goat as a gift.
“When he was going to school, I told him not to affiliate himself with cultism and to make me proud by not dropping out. I told him that if he made me proud, I was going to surprise him. He didn’t disappoint me.
“He has been respectful to the family and everyone. He’s a footballer, and I want to prove my love for him. That is why I bought the goat for him.”
According to Chinyere, she spent N120,000 on the goat, adding that she would have paid more if necessary to fulfil her promise.
“I bought the goat for N120,000. I said even if it is N200,000, I will try my best to see that I come with that goat,” she said.
The mother said she was delighted by the students’ reaction as she made her way to her son with the animal.
Promise Okoro holding the goat gift from his mother Chinyere. Credit: TikTok/Pinncode
“As I was walking, they (students) were screaming. I was happy, and I knew my son too was,” she added.
Reacting to the surprise, Promise said he initially thought his coursemates were calling him to witness an engagement ceremony after hearing students shouting, “say yes.”
He said he was shocked when he discovered that his mother had come to the school with a goat for him.
“It was one of my coursemates that called me because I thought it was an engagement serenade because people in the vicinity were screaming, ‘say yes.’
“So I was surprised for her to even call me to come and see my mum because she brought a goat. I was asking if she knew my mum because I wasn’t convinced.
“I came, happy and deeply emotional. I wasn’t ashamed. I was extremely happy. I am not even ashamed in school; why then would I be ashamed of my mum or her action?”
The video of the mother presenting the goat to her son has since generated reactions online, with many Nigerians applauding her for celebrating her son’s academic milestone in a unique way.
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