Court dissolves 23-year old marriage between church founders after wife changed children’s name to lover’s

Prophet Obayan, the founder of a church in Lagos, and his wife, Prophetess Chibuzor Obayan, have had their marriage dissolved after a 23-year union.

The paternity of their four children was also determined by a customary court in Akure, Ondo State, on Wednesday.

The estranged wife, Chibuzor, had changed the names of the children to that of her new lover, who was a former member of the husband’s church.

Prophet Obayan, the founder of the Divine Prophetic Solutions Prayers Ministry, which has locations in Ladipo, Lagos and off Arowojobe Street, had taken his estranged wife to court in Akure to protest the “snatching of his four children by a member of his church” and to reclaim the children’s paternity.

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Obayan had filed for divorce from his wife on the grounds that she had given their children her lover’s last name and that their 23-year marriage should be dissolved.

The petitioner identified himself as a Yoruba guy in court. He charged his Igbo wife from Abia State with disobedience, misinterpretation, falsehoods, manipulation, abuse, hatred, and fury.

Obayan prayed the court to grant him the custody of his four children whom his wife had changed their surname to Obi.

During the hearing, the petitioner called three witnesses, including himself, while the respondent and five others testified for the defence.

The respondent’s lawyer, T. B. Odudu, while addressing the court submitted that all the six witnesses she called corroborated their testimonies that there was no marriage between the petitioner and the respondent.

Odudu said that the plaintiff lacked the five elements of customary marriage in Ibo land, which include a treaty, concept of parental agreement, handing over of bride and payment of bride price.

In his judgement, Magistrate Segun Stephen Rotiba, dissolved the marriage on the grounds that the parties have lost interest in the union.

Magistrate Rotiba said that with regard to relief two in the petition, the Court had already given a well-considered ruling that the children whose custody was sought have already attained adulthood.

“In conclusion, the Court hereby dissolves the union between the parties, having broken down irretrievably.

“The court, hereby, declares personal non grata, the custom of the respondent awarding paternal personality to a man who is not the children’s biological father.

“The court hereby invalidates and renders null and void the publication changing the surname of the 1st and 2nd children from Obayan to Abua Obi.”

Rotiba added that “the court also invalidates any other publication or whatsoever changing the surname of the children from Obayan to Abua Obi during the pendency of this case.”

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