Court Marriage Benefit to Nigerian Women Debated After Divorcee Shares Experience
A Nigerian divorcee has stirred conversations online after stating in a viral video that there is “no benefit” of court marriage to Nigerian women, as she reflected on her personal experience.
In the video, the woman recounted challenges she said she faced during and after her marriage, arguing that legal registration did not shield her from emotional distress or protect her interests in the way she had expected. She maintained that many women assume court marriage automatically guarantees security and fairness, but claimed her own experience proved otherwise.
Court marriage in Nigeria is conducted under the Marriage Act and is legally recognised nationwide. It differs from traditional or religious marriages in that it provides formal documentation and is subject to statutory laws, particularly in cases of divorce, inheritance, and child custody.
The woman’s remarks have generated mixed reactions on social media. While some users sympathised with her and shared similar experiences, others countered that court marriage offers legal protections that may not exist in customary unions.
Legal practitioners note that statutory marriage can provide clearer legal grounds in matters of property rights, spousal maintenance, and dissolution of marriage. However, they also stress that outcomes often depend on individual circumstances, evidence presented, and proper legal representation.
Advocates for women’s rights have urged couples to seek proper legal advice before marriage and to understand their rights and responsibilities under Nigerian law. They also emphasised that legal protections are only effective when individuals are aware of and assert their rights.
The video continues to trend, fueling broader conversations about marriage structures, legal safeguards, and women’s rights in Nigeria.
She said;
‘’A lot of Nigerian women feel court marriage is advantageous to them. Let me assure you that there is no advantage of court marriage to you as a Nigerian woman. The only thing that court marriage will do is to keep you captive in that marriage. I can also tell you without filter in my mouth that a lot of women that married using court marriage are regretting it especially when they want to divorce their husbands. This is because after separation in court marriage, you will need a lawyer and lawyers can charge as much as N500,000 to N1 million. You that is struggling in marriage, how will you get that money? Asides that, divorce in court marriage is usually very lengthy. A lot of women that did court marriages that I know are really complaining, They cannot divorce their husbands and a lot of men have refused to go and file for the divorce. They will be like you the woman should go and file for it and when you are filing for divorce in court marriage, you might be spending nothing less that N2million because if the man refuses to divorce you in court marriage, you will not be divorced.
I believe strongly that there is no advantage of marriage to a woman. If you want to go into marriage, just do your traditional marriage. There is no need of church wedding or church blessing, it is not necessary. You are only wasting your money because according to the Nigerian law, traditional marriage is traditional marriage, church marriage is also traditional marriage so why wasting your time doing church marriage. Juts do traditional marriage and go to his house. If the marriage breaks down tomorrow, just go to customary court, In customary court, you will not spend more than N100, 000 from the beginning of the case to the end of the case. In customary court, there is nobody forcing you to stay in a marriage you do not want to.”
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