Controversial Nigerian cleric, Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere, popularly known as Prophet Odumeje, has sparked widespread reactions online after declaring that DNA testing is against Igbo culture.
Speaking during a sermon, the outspoken preacher urged men to avoid DNA tests, insisting that any child born within a marriage should automatically be accepted as the man’s.
“Desist from DNA test. It is not our culture,” he said. “Once a woman you marry gives birth, that child is your child.”
Odumeje also questioned the credibility of medical and laboratory results, particularly within Nigeria. According to him, conflicting diagnoses from different labs make it difficult to fully trust scientific outcomes, including DNA testing.
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“You can go abroad for a test, they tell you one thing, then come to Nigeria and hear something different,” he said. “So, you can’t trust a DNA test result.”
The cleric maintained that DNA testing contradicts traditional Igbo beliefs and values, stressing that cultural principles should take precedence over modern scientific verification when it comes to family matters.
His comments have since generated mixed reactions on social media, with some supporting his emphasis on cultural values and family unity, while others disagreed, arguing that DNA testing remains an important tool for establishing paternity and resolving disputes.