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STATUTORY MARRIAGE IN PLACES OF WORSHIP

STATUTORY MARRIAGE IN PLACES OF WORSHIP. AN INTERACTIVE STAKEHOLDERS’ FORUM AT THE FEDERAL MARRIAGE REGISTRY, IKOYI Mrs Titi Adegbile National Legal Adviser, The Redeemed Christian Church of God. THE UNIVERSALITY OF MARRIAGE.

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STATUTORY MARRIAGE IN PLACES OF WORSHIP

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  1. STATUTORY MARRIAGE IN PLACES OF WORSHIP

    AN INTERACTIVE STAKEHOLDERS’ FORUM AT THE FEDERAL MARRIAGE REGISTRY, IKOYI Mrs TitiAdegbile National Legal Adviser, The Redeemed Christian Church of God
  2. THE UNIVERSALITY OF MARRIAGE Marriage is accorded its pride of place universally, not only because the legal status of each of the contracting parties changes, but because it imposes rights and obligations of a unique kind on each person.
  3. Marriage is regarded as important legally, socially and even in faith- based or religious circles.
  4. It is still the world - acclaimed means of raising a family honourably.
  5. DEFINITIONS In 1866, Lord Penzance in (Hyde versus Hyde) defined marriage as ‘the voluntary union for life of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others’.
  6. Interpretation Act Statutory marriage : ‘voluntary union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others during the continuance of that marriage.’ For those of us who are christians, we add that marriage is for life.
  7. MARRIAGE IS HONOURABLE! Attempts to thwart this God – ordained order in favour of same sex marriage have been successfully resisted in Nigeria.
  8. The Odd (Western) World I would like to quote a very interesting definition of marriage that vividly depicts the problems the western world and indeed some of our brothers in the continent of Africa, now face in sphere of marriage:
  9. “A marriage is an interpersonal relationship with governmental, social, or religious recognition, usually intimate and sexual and often created as a contract. The most frequently occurring form of marriage unites a man and a woman as husband and wife.
  10. Other forms of marriage also exist, for example, polygamy in which a person takes more than one spouse, is common in many societies. Beginning in 2001, the legal concept of marriage has been expanded to include same – sex marriage in some jurisdictions” .
  11. Lest we get carried away, for those of us who are Christians , the Scriptures are clear. In the Book of Genesis, Chapter 2 Verse 24, we read as follows: “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh”.
  12. See also Matthew 19: 4 – 6: “Haven’t you read “he replied”, that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said “for this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate”.
  13. See also what St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians in 1. Cor: 7: 1 – 12:
  14. ‘‘Now for the matters you wrote about. It is good for a man not to marry, but since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband”.
  15. Marriage is honourable as ordained by God!
  16. MARRIAGE OPTIONS AVAILABLE IN NIGERIA 1. Customary law marriage 2. Islamic marriage (Nikkai) 3. Statutory marriage
  17. Each marriage type is legally recognized in Nigeria. However, the implications of each marriage type vary from the other significantly.
  18. Customary law marriage is intrinsically polygamous in nature. Islamic marriage is also potentially polygamous. Statutory marriage on the other hand is monogamous.
  19. Your marriage type could affect succession rights!
  20. There is no record by government of customary and Islamic marriages.
  21. The Marriage Act The law governing Statutory marriage in Nigeria is the Marriage Act, 1914
  22. Where Can Statutory Marriages Be Celebrated? 1. Marriage Registries. 2. Licenced Places of Worship.
  23. What Are Licenced Churches? These are churches that have fulfilled conditions for registration by the Federal Ministry of Interior.
  24. When Is Church Marriage Same As Statutory Marriage? Church marriage will translate to statutory marriage when conditions for statutory marriages are fulfilled.
  25. What Does It Take To Conduct a Statutory Marriage? Form A (Notice of Marriage) Form C (Licence to Marry or Registrar’s Certificate) Form E(Marriage Licence)
  26. QUESTION! A licenced church is authorised to conduct a statutory marriage (after all due diligence) Can a church dissolve a marriage?
  27. No! A church is permitted by law to conduct a statutory marriage. HOWEVER, only a court of law is empowered to dissolve a marriage.
  28. RIGHTS & OBLIGATIONS OF LICENSED CHURCHES
  29. Each licensed Parish is authorised to conduct statutory marriages (after all due diligence) Each registered Parish is entitled to books of marriage certificates which it must issue as evidence of statutory marriage between respective couples. Each licensed Parish is regarded as an extension of Government as regards the conduct of marriage.
  30. Marriage is serious. It is a legal contract. Therefore, everything about its conduct & documentation have weighty implications. Books of marriage certificates shall be kept by recognized ministers of the registered Parishes, under lock and key. Each couple wedding in a licensed Parish shall be issued a properly completed statutory wedding certificate as evidence of their marriage.
  31. Only 1 marriage certificate (in triplicate) shall be issued to a couple for their marriage. Where a couple has been joined in matrimony at a Marriage Registry,they are validly joined before God and the law. They cannot be joined again in church or issued another marriage certificate. They may however present themselves for church blessing.
  32. A copy shall be issued to the couple, (the couple must bewarned not to LAMINATE the certificate) A copy shall be retained by the church A copy shall be returned by the church (not by the couple) to the Federal Marriage Registry at Ikoyi.
  33. Can places of worship wed their members according to the tenets of the faith of such worship centres?
  34. Yes!
  35. What is the implication where Places of Worship wed couples without the involvement of Government?
  36. Such a marriage is not a statutory marriage.
  37. How is the couple to keep their marriage certificate? In a scroll.
  38. Thank you for your time and the privilege of this brief discourse. May God bless you all.
  39. QUESTIONS PLEASE?
  40. titigbile@yahoo.com 08039093875
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