The reason why many women would rather die in abusive marriages than seek divorce or even speak out was accentuated on Wednesday morning at a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) where the presiding judge asked the petitioner’s counsel whether she advised her client that “husbands are scarce.”
Not a few Nigerians have expressed outrage over a bizarre incident which occurred in open court leaving lawyers and litigants alike stunned.
When the matter was called, the lawyer handling this matrimonial matter sought to move a motion to serve the Respondent via email but the Judge refused her application stating that he does not grant such applications in his court.
Undaunted, she pointed out that the court should be guided by the Rules of Court and proceeded to read out the relevant portion which said service could be done via email.
At that point, His Lordship asked whether the Petitioner was the husband or wife and the lawyer responded, “the wife.” He asked if the woman was in court and she said no.
Pressing harder, the Judge asked whether she advised her client that husbands are scarce and hard to come by, adding that a woman who is not married is like a goat in the market that anyone can approach.
Swiftly, the lawyer told him she was glad her client was not in court to hear him say all the things he was saying.
Also, she told the court that she had discussed with her client and that she would not miss whatever benefits marriage confers on women since she had not enjoyed them in a long while.
Interestingly, the Judge continued without appearing to hear all she said; only stopping when he asked if he was making sense and all she could muster was “I wouldn’t want to say no!”
Describing the judge’s remarks as scandalous, several public affairs analysts noted that Nigeria has a long way to go in combating gender prejudices.
Lawrence Agbo a social justice advocate posited that how a presiding Judge could jump into the arena and make such a statement so callously in open court is mindboggling.
A female lawyer who does not want her name in print added: “They bring their religion, culture and patriarchy to court to oppress women. I find that this is a big problem with male Judges in matrimonial proceedings especially when the woman is the petitioner. This is just unacceptable.”
Another lawyer who also spoke under anonymity, disclosed that a high court judge has failed to give a ruling in a motion she moved since April requesting a virtual hearing for children in a matrimonial cause petition she filed in 2022 considering that one is in a boarding school and the others outside the country.
Can this lawyer have her case transferred to another court/judge? One who is unbiased? And not living in the 1st century?
In the best interest of justice, the case should be transferred from the court, as the proceedings is already a failed one, before it begin, any judgement given will be tainted with bias and injustice will be melted on the petitioner.
Furthermore, the NCJ should call the Judge to order, or better still send him for further training in the business of adjudicating matters, as the court is the only resort for litigants and it must be seen upholding Justice at all time.
Even a lay Man will do better than…. It is inconsequential if Men are scares, the petitioner may not be doing this to remarry in the future, marriage is not the ultimate for any focused individual. Such remarks are unbecoming of an impartial unempire.