During the week, videos of legendary singer, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2baba, and Edo State House of Assembly member, Natasha Osawaru?s traditional wedding surfaced online, showcasing vibrant cultural moments, with stunning traditional attire on display.

Expectedly, the ceremony?rich in love, music, dance, and Benin cultural heritage?has become a trending topic on social media, sparking a wave of diverse reactions. While some fans celebrated with the singer, others expressed reservations, with some even questioning his divorce status and legal eligibility for a new marriage.

The singer had taken to social media in January 2025 to announce the end of his highly publicised marriage to actress, Annie Macaulay. Immediately after, he announced that he was in another relationship with Osawaru. He went on to propose to her shortly after.

However, in an interview with Saturday Beats, a lawyer and legal expert, Oluwatodimu Ige, popularly known as Oga TheLawyer, stated that unless a man was properly divorced according to the law, he could not enter into another legally-sanctioned marital union.

Ige said, ?According to the law, if you are married under the Marriage Act?commonly referred to as a court wedding, where you are issued a marriage certificate?that marriage must be formally dissolved by a competent court before either party can remarry. This type of marriage can be conducted either at the marriage registry, which is superior to the local government registry, or at a licensed place of worship such as a church or mosque. Some churches are licensed to conduct such weddings, so couples don?t necessarily have to go to the registry.

?Once a marriage certificate is issued, the marriage is considered valid under the Act. Therefore, any attempt to remarry without first obtaining a legal dissolution from a high court amounts to bigamy, which is a criminal offence.

?However, if the marriage was conducted under traditional law, some customs permit a man to have more than one wife. In such cases, as long as it aligns with the relevant customs, it may be allowed. But if the marriage falls under the Act, the existing marriage must be legally dissolved before entering into another one.?

Speaking further on the consequences, the lawyer added that if a marriage is not legally dissolved, any other marriage contracted is null and void.

Echoing Ige?s statements, a respected professor of Law at the University of Lagos, Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), noted that unless a divorce had been finalised, neither party could enter into another legal union.

He however explained that a couple can have an ?introduction ceremony? without running afoul of the law. He said, ?An introduction is not the same as a marriage. Under customary law, there are three key components of a valid customary marriage: first is the introduction, where both families are formally introduced; second is the payment of the bride price or dowry; and third is the formal handing over of the bride by her parents to the groom?s family.

?All three steps must be completed for the marriage to be considered valid. If only one or two of these occur, there is no legal marriage; what exists is merely cohabitation or an intention to marry, but not an actual marriage.? (PUNCH)

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