The goat is now a celebrity - how this graduation gift went viral
Described as calm character, Promise Okoro's goat loves friend rice and has become celebrated locally.
A goat has become an internet sensation after being given as a graduation gift to Promise Okoro, a student who recently completed his final degree exams. Okoro, who has yet to name the animal, noted its fondness for fried rice.
Earlier this month, Okoro anticipated the usual post-exam festivities. His friends were already celebrating outside, playing music and documenting the Nigerian "signing-out" tradition where classmates inscribe messages on white shirts. However, the celebration took an unexpected turn when Okoro's mother, Chinyere, appeared with a goat.
The 23-year-old pharmaceutical technology student initially thought the commotion signaled a marriage proposal. Instead, he found his friends gathered around his mother, who was leading the farm animal towards him. Okoro expressed his joy and emotion to BBC Pidgin, stating he was not at all embarrassed and that his classmates cheered.
A video of the moment quickly went viral, garnering thousands of positive reactions online. While a goat might seem an unusual graduation gift outside south-east Nigeria, it holds significant cultural meaning among the Igbo people. Goats are valuable gifts, symbolizing respect, appreciation, and goodwill, and are often associated with important events like traditional weddings, family celebrations, and ceremonies honoring elders or special guests.
Okoro has not yet chosen a name for his new companion. He clarified to the BBC that he considers the goat a pet and has no intention of eating it, stating, "It's now my pet, it's too precious to me, I have no intention of killing it." His plan is to acquire a female goat and begin breeding them.
For now, the goat enjoys special status in Okoro's student halls, roaming freely and exhibiting human-like preferences. Okoro humorously noted, "I have noticed it loves fried rice a lot! The way he eats up my fried rice leftovers - very voracious."
The goat has become a local celebrity, accompanying Okoro to a supermarket where fans eagerly took photos. Okoro recounted, "It got on a car ride with me from my hostel to the mall... it was calm [even though] it's now a celebrity - more popular than me. I also take it around my street for some evening walks."
Chinyere explained that the gift was her way of expressing pride in her son. She traveled over an hour with the goat from their farming community of Ubaha-Eze to surprise him at the Federal Polytechnic Nekede in Imo state. Chinyere had initially hoped to buy her son a Mercedes-Benz SUV, a "4matic Jeep," but due to financial constraints, she opted for the goat, which she purchased for 120,000 naira ($88; £66).
Despite business difficulties as a trader of consumer goods, Chinyere was determined to fulfill a promise she made to her son when he started university: a reward for staying away from negative influences and completing his studies. Okoro had met these expectations.
Chinyere expressed her happiness at the celebration, saying, "As I walked in and met loud celebrating and shouting, it gladdened my heart knowing that my son will rejoice together with us all when he comes out."
Okoro described his close relationship with his mother, stating, "My mom is very cool. There is nothing I can hide from her and whenever she is confused about something, she always calls me to ask of my opinion or idea."
As a pharmaceutical technology student, Okoro is committed to helping sick people in Nigeria, despite many health professionals leaving the country for better opportunities. He aims to contribute to improving Nigeria's healthcare system and believes he performed well in his exams, expecting to be among the top 50 students.
Completing his studies is a significant achievement for Okoro, given Nigeria's tertiary education completion rate of 11.3 out of every 100 people, which is slightly above the sub-Saharan African average but below lower middle-income countries.
Okoro now plans to reciprocate his mother's surprise, stating, "The way she has shocked me, I will make sure I reciprocate." His mother's gift, a brown goat brought from their village with love and determination, has resonated with thousands online.