NIGERIAN MARRIAGE ACT REVIEW (1)

Good day. 

While discussing with some friends, I promised to review the Nigerian Marriage Act and share my thoughts. I'll probably have a couple of posts before this series is concluded. If you'll like a copy of the Marriage Act I'm reviewing, you can search the Internet or send an email to thewomenstories@gmail.com so I can send it to you as an attachment.

Let me ask you some questions - Do you know there is a difference between Customary Marriage, Statutory Marriage and Church Wedding?

If yes, do you know the benefits and demerits of each type of marriage?

Did you know that anyone who KNOWINGLY tries to marry anyone who has been married statutorily (under the Marriage Act) is liable to 5 years imprisonment?

Did you know that anyone who gets married according to the Marriage Act and attempts to marry another person without ending his/her marriage is liable to 5 years imprisonment?

So, am I asking injured parties to begin to sue their partners and their accomplices? No. I'm only saying that the injured parties need to know that they can seek legal redress IF they have satisfied the requirements of the law and have fallen victim, if they choose to.

I'll only share highlights. I hope you get yourself a copy of the Marriage Act to 1) verify my claims, 2) raise points of discussion and 3) make informed choices.

Let me also state that I'm not a lawyer, so if you believe you can seek legal redress, please discuss with a lawyer before you institute legal proceedings.

Section 6 of the Marriage Act addresses places of worship that can be licensed for the celebration of marriage. It states that the "Minister" (of Interior? I'll appreciate some input from lawyers here. Thanks) can license any place of public worship for the celebration of marriage.

It also allows the "Minister" withdraw the license at any time. HE only needs to give notice in the Federal Gazette. So, if you plan on relying on "White Wedding" as your only option, please confirm that the church you're getting married in is licensed for the celebration of marriage. If so, you are eligible for the benefits of Statutory Marriage. If not, you can't seek legal redress under the Marriage Act...

Sections 7-17 deal with "Preliminaries to Marriage". If these conditions are not satisfied, they may invalidate the statutory marriage. In our case, the church guided us on these (thankfully, properly). Please read through these sections and let's discuss in the comments.

I wish you the best. Enjoy your Independence Day. I'll post Part 2 as soon as possible.