THE ABC OF DIVORCE PROCEDURES IN NIGERIA: SEPARATING MYTH FROM REALITY
Introduction Divorce, the legal dissolution of a marriage, can be a tumultuous experience, fraught with emotional and legal complexities. In Nigeria, a nation rich in cultural diversity, divorce procedures are further complicated by the interplay of statutory law, customary law, and religious law (Sharia Law). This article aims to demystify the divorce process in Nigeria, providing a clear and comprehensive guide to the legal grounds, procedural steps, and common misconceptions surrounding this subject-matter. What is Divorce? Divorce is a legal process that dissolves the marital union between two married couples. The marriage must be a marriage contracted under the Act (in a lay man’s language the court marriage). While divorce action can be instituted in the High Court, the customary marriages can be dissolved in a Customary court of the area where the marriage was contracted. In Nigeria, as in many other countries, divorce is regulated by laws that outline the grounds for divo...