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The Ondo Court Has characterized The Igbo Bride Price Tradition As Malevolent And Unrighteous
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.”
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has approved the immediate dissolution of state boards, commissions, and parastatals, alongside terminating the appointments of several political aides.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
According to an official statement released on Sunday by the Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, Yinka Oyebode, the termination affects all Special Assistants (SAs), Senior Special Assistants (SSAs), and Technical Assistants (TAs).
The statement clarified that the move is part of a gradual transition as the administration winds down its first term ahead of Governor Oyebanji’s second-term inauguration on October 16, 2026.
Key Exemptions
The governor outlined specific offices, governing bodies, and officials exempted from the directive:
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Statutory Commissions: Members and chairmen of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC), Civil Service Commission, Judicial Service Commission, and House of Assembly Service Commission remain in office.
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Tertiary Institutions: The governing councils of all state-owned higher institutions are unaffected.
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Selected Agency Leadership: The chairmen of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Teaching Service Commission, and Local Government Service Commission retain their positions, though their board members have been relieved of duty.
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Senior Executive Aides: Directors-General and Technical Advisors to the Governor remain in their respective roles.
Governor Oyebanji commended the outgoing appointees for their dedication, hard work, and valuable contributions toward the progress of Ekiti State during his first tenure.
Former Governor of Cross River State and 2027 Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate, Donald Duke, has stated that petrol in Nigeria can sell between ₦200 and ₦300 per litre without government subsidies if fuel prices are pegged to local production costs rather than international market rates.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Speaking in an interview with Vanguard, Duke explained that true subsidy occurs when a product is bought at a high price and sold to consumers below cost. He argued that since crude oil is Nigeria’s collective resource, domestic fuel pricing should reflect what it costs to extract, refine, and distribute the oil locally.
Key Highlights of Donald Duke’s Strategy:
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Production Cost vs. Market Price: Duke noted that while crude oil sells internationally for $70 to $80 per barrel, Nigeria’s local production cost does not exceed $40 per barrel. Out of the ~1.7 million barrels produced daily, Nigeria requires only about 300,000 barrels for local consumption.
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Byproduct Amortization: A single barrel yields seven refined products. Duke proposed that five of those byproducts (such as aviation fuel and kerosene) be sold at commercial international rates, using those revenues to offset the refining costs of petrol and diesel.
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Domestic Pricing Formula: He advocated supplying petrol and diesel to Nigerians at actual production cost plus a modest 5% to 10% margin to cover distribution.
Under this model, Duke asserted, the federal government could completely eliminate subsidy payments while dramatically reducing pump prices for citizens.
Dr. Echuseh Audu, Executive Secretary of the Taraba State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), is facing renewed scrutiny following financial disclosures linking her and a related business, Katuka’s Kitchen, to transfers totaling ₦49.44 million.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The developments follow earlier, unproven social media allegations that SEMA diverted over 10,000 bags of rice and 1,000 cartons of groundnut oil intended for internally displaced persons (IDPs). Dr. Audu has strongly denied the diversion claims and voluntarily presented herself to security agencies—including the Police, DSS, NSCDC, and the Ministry of Justice—demanding a full investigation.
Key Financial Inflows & Controversial LPRES Transfer
Financial records obtained by SaharaReporters detail multiple transfers across accounts associated with Audu and Katuka’s Kitchen:
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World Bank Project Transfer: On October 28, 2025, the Taraba State Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (LPRES) Draw Down Account transferred ₦12,190,726.80 to Katuka’s Kitchen. The same amount was later returned to the LPRES account. Insiders questioned the propriety of a government project conducting business with a public official’s associated entity, though records do not specify if the transaction was a contract payment, reimbursement, or error.
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Inflows Breakdown (Totaling ₦49.44 Million):
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₦15M: Transferred from an account under Audu Echuseh Echuseh at UBA (May 10, 2024).
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₦7M: Transferred from Katuka’s Kitchen’s Fidelity Bank account (August 16, 2024).
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₦5.25M: Received from Sunday Stephen via Globus Bank (January 30, 2026).
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₦5M: Received from Callistus Obiejezie (February 25, 2026).
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₦5M: Transferred from a UBA account under Audu Echuseh (Date unspecified).
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₦44 Million Hospital Payments
The records also highlight three transactions totaling ₦44 million paid to GTBank accounts belonging to Nizamiye Hospital in Abuja (₦15M on Feb 20, 2026; ₦14M on Feb 26, 2026; and an undated ₦15M payment). Sources close to Audu clarified that these funds were utilized to cover medical expenses for a young girl who subsequently passed away.
Questions Over Business Ownership & Corporate Filings
While sources close to the SEMA Chief claim she formally resigned her role with Katuka’s Kitchen at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), reports indicate her Bank Verification Number (BVN) remains tied to the business’s active accounts across Access Bank, Globus Bank, and Fidelity Bank.
SEMA Maintains Stance on Integrity
TSEMA reiterated its commitment to transparency, noting that over 50,000 emergency victims have benefited from state relief distribution. Dr. Audu had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
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