A Nigerian mother has explained why she gave her son a ₦120,000 goat graduation gift after he completed his studies at Federal Polytechnic Nekede in Imo State.
Chinyere presented the goat to her son, Promise Okoro, during his sign-out ceremony.
The unusual gift quickly attracted attention online. However, the mother said the gesture came from a promise she made to her son before he entered school.
Why she bought her son a goat
Speaking to BBC News Pidgin, Chinyere said she warned Promise against cultism before he left for school.
She also told him to avoid dropping out and complete his education.
In return, she promised to give him a special reward if he stayed on the right path and made her proud.
Promise kept his promise.
Instead of buying an expensive car, Chinyere chose a gift she could afford and one she believed would remain memorable.
“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,” she said.
The mother revealed that she paid ₦120,000 for the goat.
She added that she would have spent more if necessary to keep her promise.
“I bought the goat for ₦120,000. I said even if it is ₦200,000, I will try my best to see that I come with that goat,” she said.
For Chinyere, the value of the gift mattered less than the promise behind it.
Students reacted to the unusual gift
Chinyere said students started screaming when she walked towards her son with the goat.
The reaction made the moment even more exciting for her.
“As I was walking, they were screaming. I was happy, and I knew my son too was,” she said.
The unusual scene soon became one of the most talked-about moments at the ceremony.
Promise did not expect his mother
Promise said he initially struggled to understand the situation.
His coursemates had asked him to come and see his mother.
However, the chants around him confused him. He heard people shouting “say yes” and thought someone was receiving a marriage proposal.
He soon discovered that his mother had arrived with a goat.
“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,” he said.
Once he understood the reason for the surprise, his reaction changed.
Son says the gift made him emotional
Promise said the moment made him happy and emotional.
He also said he felt no shame about his mother’s unusual graduation gift.
“I came, happy and deeply emotional. I wasn’t ashamed. I am not even ashamed in school; why then would I be ashamed of my mum or her action?” he said.
The graduate viewed the gesture as a sign of his mother’s love and pride.
More importantly, the gift represented a promise his mother had made before his education began.
The ₦120,000 goat graduation gift has continued to attract attention online.
Many Nigerians have praised Chinyere for finding a personal way to celebrate her son’s achievement.
The story has also sparked conversations about the different ways parents reward their children after major milestones.
For Chinyere and Promise, however, the goat represents more than a graduation present. It marks a promise kept, a journey completed and a mother’s pride in her son.
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