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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.”
The Kwara State Police Command has announced the arrest of a suspected key logistics provider for criminal gangs and bandits operating within the state. The suspect was apprehended in Ilorin by the command’s Violent Crime Response Unit following a period of intelligence-led covert surveillance.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
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Logistics Seizure: During the arrest, police recovered a large supply of rations and various cigarette brands, which investigators believe were intended for criminal groups hiding in remote forest areas.
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Evidence of Links: A search of the suspect’s mobile phone revealed photographs of the individual wearing military camouflage while on a Bajaj motorcycle, providing further evidence of their suspected criminal associations.
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Strategic Role: Preliminary investigations suggest the suspect served as a strategic support link, providing sustenance and resources to bandits.
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Broadening Investigation: Authorities are currently working to identify and arrest other individuals involved in this criminal support network.
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Command Strategy: State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, emphasized that the command is shifting its focus to dismantling the supply chains, informants, and collaborators that enable criminal activity. He reaffirmed that the police are determined to deny these groups the resources and support networks they need to operate.
The police have encouraged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to help security agencies disrupt these criminal networks and prevent future attacks.
The Federal Government has officially ordered civil servants to transition from personal email accounts to authorized institutional platforms for all work-related communications. The announcement, delivered by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, was made at a summit marking the 20th anniversary of Galaxy Backbone.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
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Security and Tracking: To ensure all professional communication is secure and easily auditable, over 115,000 official GovMail accounts have been activated.
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Knowledge Retention: By mandating the use of government systems, the administration aims to prevent the loss of critical institutional knowledge and records when staff members vacate their positions.
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System Completion: The federal government successfully completed the digitalization of work processes across all 38 federal ministries and extra-ministerial departments by the end of December 2025.
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Increased Efficiency: This shift toward a paperless civil service is designed to eliminate the historical issues of delayed or misplaced files, thereby reducing bureaucracy and enhancing accountability.
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Modernization: According to Walson-Jack, this initiative demonstrates the civil service’s capacity to adapt to modern operations while fostering greater transparency and faster record retrieval.
During an inspection of infrastructure projects in Lagos—including the upcoming reconstruction of the Carter Bridge—Minister of Works Dave Umahi expressed strong support for President Bola Tinubu’s leadership. Umahi stated that he believes President Tinubu will continue to receive divine guidance to lead Nigeria until 2031, emphasizing that the current administration is committed to overcoming national challenges, including insecurity.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Addressing the nation’s difficulties, Umahi remarked that while no leader desires instability, true leadership requires the courage to confront crises head-on. He expressed confidence that the President would find the wisdom and strength to resolve these issues, regardless of their origins. Furthermore, the Minister affirmed that the government remains focused on completing all ongoing infrastructure projects within their planned timelines.
Calls for Resignation from Opposition Groups
Conversely, the Conference of United Political Parties (CUPP) has issued a demand for President Tinubu’s resignation, citing persistent economic hardship and national insecurity. Supported by the House of Representatives Minority Caucus, acting National Chairman Peter Ameh argued that the current administration has failed to produce the necessary results for good governance. The statement emphasized that leadership is a responsibility rather than a right, suggesting that the honorable path for an official who cannot alleviate citizens’ suffering is to step down.
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