Following the umpteenth declaration of the federal ministry of interior’s marriage registry in Ikoyi and others of such nationwide as illegal b a federal high court, reactions have been pouring in from Nigerians.
While some sections of Nigerians hailed the judgement, some others are questioning the legality or otherwise of the marriages consummated in the registry and the legal implication for those holding the marriage certificate from the registry.
An Abuja based legal practitioner Barrister Chinenyenwa Ibeneme however provided some insights into the meaning of the said court judgement and what it may portend for Nigerians who have or are willing to have their marriages validated by registries established by the federal governmen operating under the federal ministry of interior.
Her excerpt:
“My friends call me and say,”Stainless lawyer what is the implications of the court judgment on marriages conducted at Ikoyi Registry”?
Me: it means you are now a singular lady like me with a “lirrul” touch of 3 children and a baby daddy. Your saving grace is if your bride price was paid. Then you are a still a woman married customarily
If you are amongst those that look down on customary/traditional marriage and have just your Ikoyi Registry certificate, OYO is your name.
Jokes apart. The implications of the recent Federal high court judgment are
1. Every marriage conducted at Ikoyi Registry is illegal, invalid, null and void.
2. All Federal marriage registries across Nigeria should be closed down
3. As a matter of law, the Federal or state government has no business conducting marriages. The constitution gives local governments across the nation the exclusive right to conduct and register marriages
4. If you are planning to visit an embassy for visa or to relocate with just your Ikoyi marriage certificate. Abort mission. That certificate in your box is illegal and of no effect. Just go with the pictures you took during your wine carrying ceremony
4. If you married at the Ikoyi Registry and is tired of your marriage. You do not have to bother with the long process of divorce. Your marriage falls under void and voidable marriages
5. The greed of the federal government and it’s insatiable quest for revenue drive to the detriment of other arms and strata of government has landed countless people in this mess.
I believe in separation of powers, functions and revenue
5. Finally on this my wall, I have stated as a sound legal practitioner that customary marriage is also marriage under the Act. For the purpose of meaning of a valid marriage, customary marriage is as good as a registry marriage. Under the marriage Act, there are 3 types of valid marriage. Registry, Islamic and customary marriage. None is more superior than the other.
Embassies will honour evidence of any of the 3 types of marriage.. Ever wondered how women married under Islamic marriage get visas or relocate outside Nigeria with their families.
Now the embassies you are rushing to impress will reject your Ikoyi marriage certificate and the fancy pictures you took beside their sign post
But some of you women will prefer to give yourselves hbp and instead listen to women activists that has never won a single suit in the court room
