The Ondo Court Has characterized The Igbo Bride Price Tradition As Malevolent And Unrighteous....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

An Akure Magistrate Court has strongly criticized the customs and traditions of the Igbo ethnic group that, due to the non-payment of bride price, deny a father his rights to his children, deeming it as morally wrong and unjust.

According to Magistrate Segun Stephen Rotiba, “The practice that penalizes one individual when two consenting adults are involved in an action is the epitome of insensitivity and servitude.”

The Magistrate censured the Igbo tradition that deprives a father of access and parental rights to his children over the non-payment of bride price to the wife’s family.

While delivering the verdict in the case of Prophet Theophilus Obayan and his estranged wife, Prophetess Chibuzor Lilian, the Magistrate observed that this custom unjustly punished the man.

Prophet Obayan is of Yoruba origin, and his estranged wife is from Abia State. They both served as leaders of the Divine Prophetic Solutions Prayers Ministry in Ladipo, Lagos State, until Prophetess Chibuzor left her husband to marry one of his spiritual sons, Abua Obi, and changed their children’s last name to Obi.

However, Obayan filed for divorce on the grounds that his wife changed his children’s last name to that of her new husband. He requested the court to dissolve their 23-year marriage, restore his paternity rights, and grant him custody of the children.

In his ruling, Magistrate Rotiba dissolved the marriage, citing that the parties had lost interest in the union and granted Obayan’s request to regain custody of his four children.

He emphasized that the evidence presented in court revealed that the Respondent acknowledged that, since the Petitioner did not pay her bride price, her new husband, who did pay it, had the right for the children to bear his name in accordance with Igbo tradition.

Magistrate Rotiba remarked, “Simultaneously, I find the Igbo custom embraced by the Respondent and her witnesses, allowing the children of the marriage to bear Mr. Abua Obi as their last name, to be archaic, barbaric, wicked, ungodly, irrational, senseless, crude, reckless, provocative, unjust, and insensible.

“The practice of punishing one individual when two consenting adults are involved in the matter is the height of insensitivity and servitude. I strongly denounce this practice. During the proceedings, a publication was made on February 2, 2023, in Vanguard newspapers, changing the last name of the first two children of the couple to Abua Obi.

“Besides the fact that the Respondent was found to be complicit in changing the last name of the first two children, this also amounts to subjudice, as no action is expected to be taken on the matter when it is pending before the Court.

“This is a blatant disregard for the Court. I need not say more. In conclusion, the Court dissolves the marriage between the parties due to its irreparable breakdown.

“The Court unequivocally rejects the custom of the Respondent bestowing paternal identity on a man who is not the biological father of the children.

“The Court invalidates and declares void the publication changing the last name of the first and second children from Obayan to Abua Obi.

“The Court also invalidates any other publication or action changing the children’s last name from Obayan to Abua Obi during the pendency of this case.”