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FIDA Nigeria, Abuja felicitates Chief (Mrs.) Stella Omiyi on her election into Defence Committee and Amicus Committee of the International Criminal Court Bar Association

FIDA Nigeria, Abuja Branch, heartily congratulates a distinguished elder of our branch, Past Country Vice President of FIDA Nigeria and Past Regional Vice President of FIDA International – Chief (Mrs.) Idenyemih Stella Omiyi – on her recent election into the Defence Committee and the Amicus Committee of the International Criminal Court Bar Association (ICCBA) at the Hague, Netherlands, on the 26th of September, 2025.

Chief (Mrs.) Omiyi’s exceptional achievements continue to inspire women in law across Nigeria and beyond. Her election is a testament to her unwavering commitment, sterling contributions, and remarkable leadership in the legal community, both within and outside Nigeria.

The Branch celebrates this well-deserved recognition and commends her for continually projecting the values of excellence, professionalism, and service which FIDA represents.

Congratulations once again, our very own Elder, Chief (Mrs.) Stella Omiyi! We are proud to be associated with you.

Chioma Onyenucheya-Uko,
Chairperson,
FIDA Nigeria, Abuja Branch.

Germane opportunities for Nigerian lawyers, By Audrey Chinelo Ofoegbunam

WELFARE NUGGETS

In an evolving legal landscape, lawyers must adapt and innovate to thrive.
Thus;

Remote Practice & International Clients
Platforms like UpCounsel, Clio, and LegalZoom enable Nigerian lawyers to service global clients, particularly in areas such as:

  • Intellectual Property (IP) registration
  • Contract drafting
  • Compliance

Niche Practice Development
Consider specializing in emerging areas of law, including:

  • FinTech regulation
  • Blockchain and cryptocurrency law
  • Data protection compliance

Alternative Revenue Streams
Diversify your income by exploring:

  • Online legal courses
  • Subscription-based advisory platforms
  • Publishing digital books and toolkits

By expanding your reach, developing niche skills, and exploring alternative revenue streams, you can stay ahead in the competitive legal landscape and achieve success as a Nigerian lawyer.

Supreme Court says fathers are legally bound to support wives and children whether or not there is divorce

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has held that fathers are legally bound to support their wives and children, whether or not a marriage is dissolved.

This verdict was delivered in the matter between UGBAH & Ors V. UGBAH (2025) LPELR- 8173 (SC)

In its 4th July 2025 decision, the Supreme Court in Ugbah & Ors v. Ugbah, a case that questioned whether a wife and children can sue for maintenance, welfare, and education while the marriage is still subsisting, and without first filing for divorce, the apex court gave the phenomenal verdict.

Key highlights of the case are that Mrs Veronica Ugbah sued her husband, Mr Patrick Ugbah, seeking money for her upkeep, their children’s education, and an alternative accommodation.

Patrick Ugbah, however, argued that such claims could only be made under the Matrimonial Causes Act (through a divorce or separation petition), not by a writ of summons.

The High Court dismissed his objection, but the Court of Appeal struck out the case, insisting that only a petition under matrimonial law was proper.

But the Supreme Court disagreed with the Court of Appeal and held that:

A wife does not need to file for divorce before asking for maintenance.

Children’s right to welfare and education is independent, enforceable, and not tied to divorce proceedings.

Courts must focus on substantial justice, not technicalities of procedure.

Outcome: The appeal was allowed, the High Court’s ruling was restored, and the wife and children’s claims were recognized as competent.

Why It Matters
This judgment underscores that:

Fathers remain legally bound to support their children whether or not a marriage is dissolved.

A wife can independently seek maintenance and support during marriage without being forced into divorce proceedings.

Courts will not allow technical rules to override the justice owed to vulnerable parties like wives and children.

The brazen customs officer who shunned court order, used Zone 2 police, thugs to evict tenants with 2-month-old baby in Lagos

A Customs officer identified as Ritji Stephen Gobak Gomos recently went berserk, defying a valid court order which stopped him from taking possession of his apartment occupied by one David Afam Akaraiwe and family, including a two-month-old baby, used policemen from ‘B Ops’ of Zone 2 Onikan and some thugs to forcefully evict a tenant at the Devine Estate Amuwo Odofin, Lagos.

And while the horrendous drama was on, the husband of the nursing mother, David Akaraiwe, was out of town.

It was gathered that trouble started with his tenant whose name was given as David Afam Akaraiwe after the customs officer landlord told him to leave his gate open that he was coming to fix an airconditioner at the adjoining apartment adding that Mr. Akaraiwe told him that there was no way he could keep his gate open because that would be a security breach, that if the landlord was around and wants to carry out any repair works on the adjoining apartment, he would gladly open the gate for him. Sources said the response of Mr. Akaraiwe did not go down well with the officer who vowed to eject him.

Subsequently, he served him with a quit notice and later a court Summons was pasted on his gate to appear before Court 4, Apapa, preparatory to his eviction on 3 September 2025. 

However, a twist was said to have been introduced into the drama after the landlord ordered his gate man, ThankGod Matthias, minutes after the Summons was pasted on the gate of David Afam Akaraiwe to secretly remove it so that he will not know the date of the court sitting. While doing this, the gate man was caught by a CCTV camera. So, while the court sat severally, Mr. Akaraiwe was not aware and judgment was given against him to quit the apartment.  While court Bailiffs came to execute the order, Mr. Akaraiwe was shell-shocked, questioning when the court sat. His lawyer, Edward Porbeni Esq, quickly went to the same court to pray to the Magistrate, Hon. L. O. Kazeem, that his client was never served a court Summons prior to judgment, adding that his client’s CCTV camera, however, caught the gateman, ThankGod Matthias, removing what seemed to be the court Summons. The Magistrate then gave a counter order forbidding possession order saying that in the interest of justice, he could not grant possession to the customs officer and therefore put in abeyance the application by his counsel. Hearing has been fixed for October 8, 2025.

Angered by the action of the customs officer and his gateman, the Magistrate gave an order for the arrest of the gate man and subsequent arraignment for subverting the cause of justice. Even though the gate man confessed on camera that it was his employer, the customs officer who asked him to remove the summons, his plea was not taken. He is presently remanded in Kirikiri Correctional Centre while the matter has been adjourned to October 20, 2025, for hearing.

However, still holding on to the initial order to quit, Mr. Stephen Gosom went to Zone 2, to seek policemen to help him execute the order. And the officers, instead of going to execute with court Bailiffs, sought the services of thugs to break open and pack out the tenants’ belongings, including forcing the nursing mother out in the cold air and welding the apartment with iron rods.

It was gathered that while the forcible ejection was on,  police officers from Area E’ Festac Town, on the order of the DPO, came to the scene to alert the officers from Zone 2 that what they were doing was illegal, as there was a counter court order stopping such. But agents of Gosom carried out the execution, locking the man’s dog tied to a chain inside.

According to some sources, the customs officer has even petitioned the Zonal Intelligence Response Squad ZIRS of the same Zone 2, accusing David Akaraiwe of kidnapping, breaking and entering and stealing, and a letter of invitation to that effect had already been sent to him. 

Present Counsel to Mr. Akaraiwe,  Barrister Yinka Sanni, who apparently was miffed by the whole scenario, describes the act of Customs officer Gomos as gross abuse of power, vowing to seek redress in a court of competent jurisdiction and claim damages. He said he was already doing a strong-worded petition to the Comptroller General of customs to the effect. “How can a customs officer, trained with the taxpayers’ money, who is supposed to be a custodian of the law, openly violate the law in this manner? He questioned. Continuing,  Barrister Sanni added, ” Even the officers from ‘B ops’ of Zone 2, don’t they know that you can not carry out ejection or execution of a valid court order without court bailiffs around, why hire the services of thugs?

The CCTV camera showed that no Bailiff was with them, they only came with thugs to execute a court order that had been set aside. I will sue the organization of this so-called Superintendent of Customs, join him, the Nigeria Police zone 2 and claim damages because my client was illegally detained and his property worth several millions of naira was destroyed. People don’t know that when you throw somebody’s property out illegally, you have literally detained the person. The battle line has been drawn; we will see where it ends between us and this lawless customs officer.”

Calls put to the customs officer on  +234 806 579 4596 to hear his side of the matter were rebuffed. He has neither responded to our text message to that effect as of the time of filing this report. Even calls put across to the Customs spokesperson, ACC Maiwada, were not picked up. He too did not respond to our text message as of the time of this report.

For Nigeria, 24 million reasons to fear the future?

By Chidi Anselm Odinkalu

When Olusegun Obasanjo took over in the middle of 1976 from the slain Murtala Mohammed as Nigeria’s military Head of State, the regime was already committed as a matter policy to transition power to an elected civilian administration in 1979. This was a big deal alright but not one over which he had much say as such. As military Head of State, General Obasanjo identified two issues to define his personal legacy.

One was food security. To address that, he launched “Operation Feed the Nation”, better known by the acronym (OFN). Those were the same initials of Obasanjo Farms Nigeria, the name of the company under which the General would later pursue his post-retirement vocation in agriculture. The coincidence was not lost on many.

The other issue was education. To pursue this, General Obasanjo launched the Universal Primary Education (UPE) in 1976. 40 years later, an independent study determined that the UPE had “a statistically significant impact on schooling attainment of beneficiaries”, but there were questions as to its reach and coverage. Quite apart from the usual dysfunctions associated with centrally dictated government programmes, the UPE also faced opposition from traditional and religious leaders in some parts of Nigeria, who reportedly felt “that it is a Christian brainwashing which alienates their children from their own religious beliefs.” Those were also people who largely opposed the education of the girl-child.

The three and a half years of the Obasanjo military regime were too short for such an ambitious programme as the UPE to prove itself. The best he could hope for was that his civilian successors would continue with the idea.

At the launch of the UPE, the country was in the middle of what its rulers believed would be an interminable Oil Boom. In hindsight, the onset of the UPE coincided with the beginning of a bust. The programme became one of the casualties of the rampant corruption and the subsequent Austerity that bedevilled the administration of Obasanjo’s chosen successor, President Shehu Shagari.

The military regime that toppled Shehu Shagari four years later paid no heed to basic education. Chronically careening from the twin crises of balance of payments and elite banditry of the Nigerian political class, the system never quite rediscovered the will to invest in basic education as a duty of the Nigerian state. By the time Obasanjo returned as civilian president 20 years after his first tour of duty, the country had begun to reap whirlwind from decades of costly omission.

President Obasanjo appeared to understand this but arguably waited too long to address it. In the fifth year of his eight-year tenure, he enacted the Universal Basic Education Programme (UBE), which made basic education compulsory for all children in Nigeria. Basic education under the law was defined as nine years of formal education – six years in primary school and three years of junior secondary education. It also became a federal crime to deny a child in Nigeria access to such education. To encourage uptake by the states, the Federal Government offered generous co-financing incentives to the states. Many failed to take it up.

Two years later, in 2006, President Obasanjo launched a National Policy on Education. By this time, a diagnosis had indicated the depth of the emergency. Of 42.1 million Nigerian children eligible for primary education at the end of 2005, “only 22.3m were in the primary schools. This figure implies that about 19.8m or 47% Nigerian children that should [have] been in primary schools [were] not.”

It is no surprise that this period coincided with the onset of what would later become an Islamist insurgency founded on an ideology opposed to Western education.

As with his first tour of presidential duty, the policy measures implemented by President Obasanjo on his second coming equally relied for their durability on his successors sharing his sense of mission and urgency. It was a tall hope. In the two decades since Obasanjo’s National Policy on Education of 2006, successive administrations neglected it to a point where the country has become the most natural recruiting ground in the world for radicalisation.

On Monday, 13 November, 2017, Muhammadu Buhari, another Nigerian ruler on his second tour of presidential duty, hosted a Cabinet retreat on education. Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, himself a teacher of considerable stature and Education Minister, Adamu Adamu, also addressed the retreat which, however, involved little deliberation and ended with an inconclusive communique.

A high point of the Buhari Cabinet retreat was the presentation of Minister Adamu Adamu’s “Education for Change: A Ministerial Strategic Plan, 2016-2019.” Launched in August 2016 and better known under the acronym MSP, its title was a play upon the “Change” mantra of the then government, and the United Nations’ Education for All campaign. If it had been launched today, the plan would probably have been called “Education for Renewed Hope”.

At over 120 pages, most Nigerians, including senior staff of the Federal Ministry of Education (FMoE), were unlikely ever to read the MSP. In his foreword, Minister Adamu promised to “welcome rigorous discussion with all levels of stakeholders to ensure a sustainable and enduring document.” It never happened.

The MSP offered the government’s vision for education in Nigeria, setting out three strategic outcomes namely: improving access, enhancing quality, and strengthening sectoral systems. The scope covered ten major areas. Under access, in particular, the MSP focused on out-of-school children (OOSC).

The MSP identified a priority in the twin challenges of OOSC and mass illiteracy. The plan estimated the number of OOSC at 10.5 million and illiteracy at 38% or 60 million Nigerians. With reference to OOSC, it proposed “a state of emergency on education in the states most affected by the (Boko Haram) insurgency.” This was an implicit recognition of the relationship of cause and effect between policy failure and national security consequence.

By 2019, the plan hoped to reduce by half the number of illiterate people in Nigeria through the deployment of 170,000 instructors, 100,000 of whom will be mobilised by the Federal Government and another 70,000 by the States. For the first time, the MSP offered a plan for a pre-primary (nursery) education curriculum. Not much has been heard of these since then.

The pivotal planning data on which the MSP was anchored was dubious and dated. On the issue of OOSC, for instance, it claimed that Nigeria had “10.5 million out-of-school children”, a figure first used by the FMoE in its planning in 2006. Contradicting the MSP, however, President Buhari informed the country at the retreat that in Nigeria “an estimated 13.2 million children are out of school.” This was one-third more than the estimate by the MSP.

On the back of this frightening number, President Buhari then touted the goal of the FMoE as “fostering the development of all Nigerian citizens to their full potentials, in the promotion of a strong, democratic, egalitarian, indivisible and indissoluble sovereign nation under God.”

For all its ambition, the MSP was starkly un-costed. Instead, it proposed to increase already bloated education overheads by elevating the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) to a parastatal. It is hardly any surprise that President Buhari’s goal of enlightened governance based on egalitarian civics came to naught.

These and many more flaws in the MSP highlight the reasons why Nigeria’s educational sector drifted into a zone of dangerous incoherence under President Buhari’s watch. In the period since then, the country has descended into a snarling cauldron of inter-ethnic hate.

This past week, President Obasanjo disclosed that the population of OOSC in Nigeria has nearly doubled to 24 million, which is over 10% of the country’s current population estimate. He predictably warned: “You don’t need an oracle to know they will become the recruiting ground for the Boko Haram of tomorrow.”

Education should be a national security priority for all levels of government. States need both a coherent policy environment and a committed partner at the federal level. Yet very few Nigerians can say who the Minister of Education is, what is his or her name and what is their plan for addressing Nigeria’s 24 million reasons to fear the future.

A lawyer and a teacher, Odinkalu can be reached at [email protected]

The views expressed by contributors are strictly personal and not of Law & Society Magazine.

High court sentences man to life imprisonment for defiling four-year-old in Lagos

A High Court in Lagos on Tuesday sentenced Femi Ayoade, a 22-year-old graduate, to life imprisonment for defiling a four-year-old girl inside a tricycle.

Hon. Justice Abiola Soladoye of the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court delivered the judgment, stating that the prosecution had proven the one-count charge of defilement beyond a reasonable doubt.

The judge described Ayoade as a criminally audacious man who shamelessly turned a child’s vagina into a playground.

“The prosecution has successfully presented compelling evidence against the defendant.

“Consequently, the defendant is hereby found guilty of the charge of defilement and is sentenced to life imprisonment,” Justice Soladoye ruled.

The judge further ordered that the convict’s name be entered into the Lagos State Sexual Offences Register.

The State Counsel, Mrs Olufunke Alebiosu, presented the survivor and her father as key witnesses.

The convict committed the offence in September 2021 at No. 19, Milestone Close, Infinity Estate, Skido Bus Stop, Eti-Osa, Lagos.

Just In: Gunmen kidnap, kill top veterinary doctor in Abuja, his three children still in kidnappers’ den

A notable veterinary doctor and former chairman of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) FCT chapter, Dr Ifeanyi Ogbu, has been murdered in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. 

According to reports, armed men stormed his residence in Kubwa, Abuja, and abducted him along with his three children. 

While his nursing wife and other family members were hoping for the best, the doctor’s body was later found dumped by the roadside, while his children are still missing.

Andrew Gabriel Ikechukwu, who also shared the tragic news on his Facebook page, explained that Dr Ogbu was kidnapped along with three of his children, but later found dead while the three children were yet to be released. 

Praying for God’s intervention, he said, “Dr. Ifeanyi Ogbu, the immediate past chairman of the NVMA FCT chapter, who was kidnapped alongside his three children from his home in Kubwa Abuja was found dead.

“The three children are yet to be released. May God please intervene.” 

This incident comes on the heels of the tragic death of Somtochukwu Maduagwu, a news anchor with Arise TV, who was murdered in an armed robbery attack at her Katampe residence in Abuja. 
Maduagwu, a 29-year-old lawyer-turned-journalist, was known for her advocacy on gender-based violence and education reform.

Her death has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation from Nigerians, with many calling for justice and improved security measures.

The Nigerian police have launched investigations into both incidents.

President Bola Tinubu has also reacted to Maduagwu’s murder, ordering security operatives to conduct a quick and thorough investigation and bring those responsible to justice.

Dr. Ogbu’s murder has similarly sparked an outpouring of grief and outrage. A colleague described his death as “a great loss” and a painful reminder of the insecurity that continues to affect families and communities in Nigeria. 

“Nigeria just happened to my age-long friend, Ifeanyi… His untimely death is a painful reminder of the insecurity that continues to affect families and communities in Nigeria,” she wrote in a post titled “A Great Loss”.

The veterinary community is in mourning, remembering Dr. Ogbu as a dedicated professional and a valued member of their profession.

The killings of Maduagwu and Dr. Ogbu have raised concerns about the safety of citizens, particularly in the nation’s capital. Many are questioning the effectiveness of the security measures in place and calling for improved security protocols to prevent such incidents in the future.

Tributes have poured in for both Maduagwu and Dr. Ogbu, with many describing them as vibrant and dedicated individuals who were taken too soon.

Their deaths have highlighted the need for urgent action to address the security challenges facing the country.

The police have yet to issue a statement on the incident, but investigations are likely underway to apprehend the perpetrators.

As the community waits for justice, many are left wondering how such a heinous crime could occur.

Sahara Reporters

Despite court order, police impound 25 vehicles in Delta over tinted glass permit

In spite of an order of a Federal High Court Warri in Delta State, which ordered the Nigeria Police Force and the Inspector-General of Police to maintain the status quo in a suit filed by lawyer John Aikpokpo-Martins, challenging the legality of the new tinted permit enforcement, the police command in Delta says it has impounded 25 vehicles for not having the tinted glass permit despite a suit challenging the legality of the policy.

In a post shared via X on Friday, the Delta police command published the pictures of the impounded cars.

On Thursday, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) commenced the enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy across the nation.

The policy, which was initially billed to take off on June 1 before being shifted to October 2, requires motorists to obtain an annual permit for tinted glasses through a digital portal (possap.gov.ng).

However, the policy has been met with criticism, as the Nigerian Bar Association Section of Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) filed a public interest suit in September to challenge its legality.

The suit was filed at the federal high court in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

In a letter addressed to Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector-general of police (IGP), on October 1, the NBA faulted the decision to enforce the tinted glass permit policy despite a suit against it.

Benjamin Hundeyin, force spokesperson, said the NBA’s position was misleading, describing it as “an attempt to cast aspersions on the image, integrity, and lawful operations of the force.”

Church of England names 63-year-old Sarah Mullally as first female Archbishop of Canterbury

The Church of England named Sarah Mullally on Friday as the next Archbishop of Canterbury, the first woman to serve as ceremonial head of Anglican Christianity worldwide, prompting immediate criticism from conservative church leaders in Africa.

A former NHS chief nurse, the 63-year-old became a priest in 2006 and was appointed as the first female Bishop of London in 2018 – the third most senior member of clergy in the Church of England.

She used her first public statement on Friday to condemn the “horrific violence” of Thursday’s deadly attack on a synagogue in Manchester, saying “hatred and racism cannot tear us apart”.

Mullally will, like her predecessors, face a Communion divided between conservatives and more liberal Christians over the role of women in the Church and the acceptance of same-sex couples.

While the appointment was welcomed by many religious leaders in Britain, Laurent Mbanda, archbishop of Rwanda and chairman of a global grouping of conservative Anglican churches, told Reuters that Mullally would not unite the Communion.

A bishop in Nigeria said the choice was “very dangerous” because women should follow men. The Church of England’s evangelical wing also called for a halt to what it called a drift away from scripture.

The Church has been without someone in the top job for almost a year after Justin Welby resigned over a safeguarding scandal.

He stepped down after a damning report into a prolific child abuser associated with the Church. It found that he “could and should” have reported John Smyth’s abuse of boys and young men to police in 2013.

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell took on most of Mr Welby’s responsibilities in an interim move, and was one of the voting members of the body charged with choosing his successor. He himself has faced calls to step down over his handling of an abuse case.

Women were first ordained priests in the Church in 1994, while the first female bishop appointments followed 20 years later in 2014

In line with tradition, the process of choosing a new archbishop involves a name being given to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and then passed to the monarch.

Sir Keir has welcomed Dame Sarah’s appointment, saying: “I wish her every success and look forward to working together.”

While technically, the King is head of the Church of England, the person holding the role of Archbishop of Canterbury is the most senior bishop and is the spiritual leader of the Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion.

King Charles III has congratulated Dame Sarah on her new role, “which is of such importance in the UK and across the global Anglican Communion”, Buckingham Palace said.

MULLALLY HAS CHAMPIONED LIBERAL CAUSES

Bishop of London since 2018, Mullally has previously championed blessings for same-sex couples, a major source of contention in the global Anglican Communion. Homosexuality is outlawed in some African countries.

In an address in Canterbury Cathedral on Friday, she said she would seek to help every ministry to flourish, “whatever our tradition”.

On same-sex relationships, she told Reuters in an interview that the Church of England and the broader Anglican Communion had long wrestled with difficult issues.

“It may not be resolved quickly,” she added.

Mullally said she wanted the Church to tackle the misuse of power after sexual abuse scandals and safeguarding issues, and she condemned rising antisemitism following an attack on a synagogue in Manchester on Thursday which killed two men.

The Church of England, which broke away from Roman Catholicism in the 16th century, has allowed women to be ordained as priests for more than 30 years and to become bishops for more than a decade.

Those reforms have been rejected by many churches in Africa and Asia which fall under the Anglican Communion and consider the Archbishop of Canterbury as their ceremonial head but set their own rules.

“Christ is the head of the Church, man is the head of the family, and from creation God has never handed over the position of leadership to woman,” Nigeria’s Funkuro Godrules Victor Amgbare, Bishop of Northern Izon, told Reuters in Abuja.

The Vatican, which does not allow women to be ordained as priests, welcomed Mullally’s appointment in a statement, noting that the challenges facing the Anglican church were “considerable”.

SAFEGUARDING IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

Mullally will replace Justin Welby, who resigned over a child abuse cover-up scandal and who was criticised by some Anglicans for taking an activist role on social issues.

In Friday’s cathedral address she spoke of the difficulties of an age which “craves certainty and tribalism” and a country which is wrestling with complex moral and political questions.

She noted the “horrific violence” of the previous day’s synagogue attack, saying it revealed “hatred that rises up through fractures across our communities”.

Mullally, who as a bishop already holds a seat in the British parliament’s House of Lords, is also an outspoken opponent of legislation currently being debated to allow assisted dying.

‘IT’S ALL ABOUT PEOPLE’

Mullally is a former cancer nurse who worked as England’s Chief Nursing Officer in the early 2000s. She was ordained as a priest in 2002 and became one of the first women consecrated as a bishop in the Church of England in 2015.

The married mother of two adult children said there were similarities between nursing and Christian ministry.

“It’s all about people, and sitting with people during the most difficult times in their lives,” she once told a magazine.

Linda Woodhead, professor of theology and religious studies at King’s College London, said the Church needed Mullally’s strong management skills.

“Her emphasis on unity, gentleness and strength is exactly what the Church, and nation, needs right now,” she said.

Reflecting the Church’s status as England’s established faith, the appointment was announced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office and given formal assent by King Charles. The monarch has been supreme governor of the Church of England for nearly 500 years since Henry VIII broke from the pope in Rome.

David Pestell, 74, who heads a tourist guide group in Canterbury, reflected on Mullally’s predecessors.

“Some of them have been very good, some of them have been pretty bad,” he said. “Some of them have been very contentious, and some of them ended up murdered. I hope it doesn’t happen to this one. It’s delightful.”

The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, which represents conservative views, has criticised the appointment, saying that although some will welcome it, “the majority of the Anglican Communion still believes that the Bible requires a male-only episcopacy”.

She does not legally take on her new role until a confirmation of election in January, and an enthronement service comes later, after they have paid homage to the King.

Reuters/BBC

Christian photographer/blogger wins case against law forcing her to work same-sex weddings

Chelsey Nelson is a wedding photographer and blogger in Louisville, Kentucky. | Courtesy of Chelsey Nelson

A federal court has sided with a Christian photographer challenging nondiscrimination provisions she believes would force her to work same-sex weddings despite her religious objections. This is the latest example of U.S. courts ruling in favor of religious liberty protections.

In an opinion published Tuesday, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky sided with photographer Chelsey Nelson in her ongoing legal dispute with the city of Louisville over its prohibition on discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity or the denial of services based on said characteristics.

Judge Benjamin Beaton, appointed to the bench by President Donald Trump, authored the decision.

Nelson, a practicing Christian who believes that marriage is a sacramental union between one man and one woman, informs prospective clients that she doesn’t provide photography services for same-sex weddings. She filed a lawsuit alleging that the nondiscrimination provisions violated the Free Speech and Free Exercise clauses of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution as well as Kentucky’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

While the federal court sided with Nelson in 2022, thus prohibiting Louisville from enforcing the nondiscrimination provisions against her, she appealed the rejection of her request for nominal damages while the city also appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in an effort to reverse the ruling against the local laws.

In 2023, after the district court ruled against the nondiscrimination provisions and while the case was on appeal before the Sixth Circuit, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a major ruling in 303 Creative v. Elenis. That decision, which ruled that the U.S. Constitution prohibits states from using “expressive activity to compel speech,” became a binding precedent for cases involving religious liberty.

As a result of the 303 Creative ruling, the Sixth Circuit sent Nelson’s case back to the lower court for further proceedings. Tuesday’s decision marks the culmination of these legal efforts. In addition to siding with Nelson by upholding the previous rulings prohibiting the city of Louisville from enforcing the local laws against her, Beaton awarded her nominal damages.

As explained by the conservative legal nonprofit organization Alliance Defending Freedom, which has represented Nelson in her litigation, “Nominal damages are a type of compensation that remedy past harm, prevent future misconduct, and vindicate constitutional freedoms.” In a statement reacting to the decision, ADF Senior Counsel Bryan Neihart said, “Free speech is for everyone.”

“As the Supreme Court held two years ago in 303 Creative v. Elenis, Americans have the freedom to express and create messages that align with their beliefs without fear of government punishment,” he added. “For over five years, Louisville officials said they could force Chelsey to promote views about marriage that violated her religious beliefs.”

According to Neihart, “The First Amendment leaves decisions about what to say with the people, not with the government. The district court’s [decision] rests on this bedrock First Amendment principle and builds on the victory in 303 Creative.”

Nelson reacted to the ruling by declaring, “The government can’t force Americans to say things they don’t believe, and state officials have paid and will continue to pay a price when they violate this foundational freedom.”

She added that “the freedom to speak without fear of censorship” is a “constitutionally guaranteed right.”

“I’m grateful for my legal team at Alliance Defending Freedom that brought my case to victory not only for me, but for every other artist in Louisville,” she stated.

Christian Post Reporter

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