Nonye Soludo Disputes Peter Obi’s Claim to Being Godfather of Her Children

Anambra First Lady Nonye Soludo has clarified that Peter Obi’s wife, rather than the former Anambra governor himself, is the godmother of her daughters, arguing that Catholic baptismal rules do not automatically extend the role to a sponsor’s spouse.

The clarification has brought renewed attention to the personal relationship between the families of former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and incumbent Governor Chukwuma Soludo, following a disagreement over who holds the role of godparent to the Soludo children.

In a statement issued through Daniel Ezeigwe, her media assistant, Nonye Soludo maintained that the identity of a Catholic baptismal sponsor is determined by the person formally designated for the responsibility, not by their marital relationship.

She cited the Catholic Church’s Code of Canon Law to support her position, arguing that the role of a godmother does not automatically make her husband a godfather.

The dispute has also drawn attention to the distinction between a personal or social relationship and the formal religious designation of a baptismal sponsor.

What Catholic Law Says About Baptismal Godparents

The central issue in the disagreement concerns how the Catholic Church identifies baptismal sponsors.

According to the Vatican’s official Code of Canon Law, Canon 873 allows a baptism to have one male sponsor, one female sponsor, or one of each. Canon 874 outlines the requirements for serving as a sponsor, including being formally designated for the role.

Function of the Church (Cann. 834-878)

Canon 877 further provides for the names of the sponsors to be entered in the baptismal register alongside other details of the ceremony.

Function of the Church (Cann. 834-878)

These provisions establish that baptismal sponsorship is an individually assigned religious responsibility. They do not automatically extend the formal role to a sponsor’s spouse.

This distinction is central to Nonye Soludo’s argument that Peter Obi’s wife’s position as godmother does not, by itself, establish Obi as a baptismal godfather.

How the Disagreement Developed

The dispute followed Peter Obi’s claim that he and his wife were godparents to children of Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo.

Nonye Soludo subsequently rejected the claim that Obi himself held the formal religious role, explaining that his wife was the godmother of her daughters.

Her response focused on the distinction between the role of an individual baptismal sponsor and the wider personal relationship between the two families.

The statement also addressed arguments from some supporters of Obi who reportedly viewed the couple’s marital relationship as a basis for treating both spouses as godparents.

Nonye Soludo maintained that the formal designation recorded by the Church, rather than a social interpretation of the relationship, should determine who is recognised as a baptismal sponsor.

Why the Clarification Matters

The disagreement highlights how a personal relationship between two prominent political families can become a subject of public debate.

It also raises a broader question about the difference between religious titles and informal social relationships. While people may use the term godparent more broadly in everyday life, Catholic baptismal sponsorship has specific requirements and responsibilities.

For readers seeking to understand the dispute, the distinction is between the claim that Obi’s wife is a godmother and the separate claim that Obi himself was formally designated as a godfather.

The available statement does not establish what is recorded in the children’s baptismal registers, so the precise formal designation of each sponsor remains a matter that would require confirmation from the relevant records.

What Happens Next?

The disagreement may continue to attract public attention as the two families’ relationship remains a topic of discussion.

A definitive account of the formal baptismal sponsorship would depend on the relevant church records or a direct clarification from the families involved.

For now, Nonye Soludo’s position is that Peter Obi’s wife is the godmother of her daughters and that her husband’s marriage to her does not automatically confer the same religious designation on him.