![All Marriages conducted by the Ikoyi Marriage Registry are illegal and Invalid [updated]](https://tkcdn.tekedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/13082548/marriage-768x432.jpg "All Marriages conducted by the Ikoyi Marriage Registry are illegal and Invalid [updated]")
Update – please read this statement from the government on this matter.
There has been a legal brawl between some Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Nigeria against the Federal Government simply for the determination of who has the power to operate marriage registries, conduct marriages and issue marriage certificates.
Statutorily, the local governments are the ones empowered to conduct marriages and issue marriage certificates, for this reason, the LGAs have insisted that their powers to register marriages which are statutorily provided are being usurped by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Interior.
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The Eti Osa LOcal Government Area of Lagos State took the Ministry of Interior and Attorney General of the Federation to court in suit no.: FHC/ LS/CS/816/18 between Eti-Osa LGA & 3 others v. Hon. Minister of Interior & 2 others (Federal High Court, Ikoyi Judicial Division), where they accused Federal Ministry of Interiors of usurping the Local Government’s power to operate marriage registries, conduct marriages and issue marriage certificates.
They prayed the court to declare that the federal government has no business in the conduction of marriages and issuing marriage certificates and order the closure of all marriage registries opened and operated by the Federal Ministry of Interior or through their agents including that of the Ikoyi Registry.
The case lingered but recently, the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi held in the favor of the Eti-Osa local government and granted their prayers.
The court held that conduct of marriages and issue of certificate is statutorily the job of the local governments as provided by the law and only the local governments have the power to do such and the acts of the federal government through the Ministry of Interior operating marriage registries is clearly beyond their powers.
The court further held that all marriages conducted by federal marriage registries or through their agents are illegal and invalid and the Federal High Court also ordered for the closure of all federal marriage registries including that of Ikoyi marriage registry with immediate effect.
This article is wrong. Based on Nigeria constitution Marriage is under the FGN exclusivity list and Nigeria Marriage Act also confered same power on the President/Minister.
Decided cases between Local governments and FGN have ascertained this.
Local government, place of worship or other public registrars can still conducted marriages BUT must obtain license/ permission to conduct such marriages through the Ministry of Interior. The marriage certificates comes in 3 copies, a copy for the couple, 2nd copy to be returned to registry where the permit was obtained and the 3rd copy which is book copy and must be teturned to the registrar when exhausted. The issue was that some local government overtime started printing their marriage certificate but that has been decided on by court.
https://www.withinnigeria.com/piece/2021/07/09/court-wedding-controversy-surrounding-ikoyi-registry-why-nigerians-prefer-federal-marriage-certificate-than-local-government/amp/
Thank you for this. Unfortunately many people prefer to run with falsehoods and fallacies.
As much as I think it wrong for Federal Government to be in charge of Marriages as I consider Marriages to be local but unfortunately, it is the Law as we have it now.
Please the 1999 Constitution does not have Exclusive Lists for the federal government. The Exclusive Lists is for purpose of making laws and it is called Exclusive Legislative Lists and it is to be used by the National Assembly. The National Assembly is not for the Federal Government. It is for the government of the Federation. This means that the National Assembly can make laws for the Federal, State and Local governments on items in the Exclusive Legislative Lists. Because of the military running a unitary system it has stuck with us that that is the norm. The federal govt should have no right over local events and if the local governments are in charge of births and deaths, is it not logical that they should be in charge of marriages and divorces? That should be the law and the Judge is right. My view point please.
I got married there now what I’m supposed to do I’m doing his citizenship process got a lawyer already and on my way back change my name in America all my stuff so who is in charge of helping us with this situation…we paid and had to take time out to go to Nigeria to get married….this is not true please help me…
Don’t mind them. Nigeria and their cruise ship. All those that got married th