- I can’t marry him, he killed his first wife just to be with me – Ex-fiancee
Afamily court in Ebonyi State has ordered a family to return the bride price, a cow, four goats and cash sum of N800,000 they received from a man who indicated interest in marrying their daughter identified as Oluchi Ezaka after the woman backed out of the marriage plans.
The suitor, a middle aged man, Unah Samson, from Ezza South Local Government Area of the state, said the Ezaka family collected N800,000 cash, a cow and four goats, among other gifts, from him after he informed them that he wanted to get married to his former fiancee, Oluchi.
Oluchi, however, informed the court that she pulled out of the relationship because Samson had allegedly killed his first wife just to get married to her.
It was gathered that Samson was match-made with Oluchi sometimes in 2023 for marriage and as the relationship was in the process of being consummated into marriage, the woman suddenly backed out, hence, Samson’s demand for refund.
Samson explained, “After all the traditional marriage rites, she (Oluchi) backed out of the marriage, accused me of being a ritualist and killing my first wife. She said she was no longer interested in marrying me despite all I have spent on her, her children and parents. I have never had sexual intimacy with her, not even once. At the early stage of the relationship, I had wanted to but she refused with a claim that I had not paid her bride price.
“So, I had to intensify my efforts and did everything her family demanded of me. Right from the first day we met, I saved her phone number as “My Treasure.” My love for her propelled me to give her many gifts and meet all her family demands within the shortest time.
“I was still discussing with her people to know the best way forward when I received a summon from this center (family court). In this circumstance, if her mind is made up not to marry me as earlier agreed, then, I have no option than to demand full refund of all I spent on her, her children, and parents in the course of the relationship. I have spent the sum of Eight Hundred Thousand Naira (N800,000.00), a cow and four goats.”
Samson was dragged to a Resolution Center, popularly known as Family Law Center in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital by Oluchi Ezaka, his former fiancee with a complain that he was stalking her, giving gifts to her family despite the notice that she was no longer interested in the relationship.
Oluchi accused Samson of paying bride price to her father and conspiring with her family to force her into marrying him.
She prayed the court to compel Samson to move on with his life without her.
“He (Samson) is lying, he only gave me a packet of diaper consisting 50 pieces and not four cartons. Early last year, 2023, someone introduced me to Samson for marriage. As time went on, I found out that he had married earlier. While professing love to me, he threatened to kill his first wife for him to be able to get married to me.
“I had to leave him even after performing introduction ceremony to my family because he is a killer. His first wife died after that statement he made to me just two months after, so, that made me to stand firm that I would not marry a ritual killer.
“I had told him to stop giving things to my family, that I was no longer interested but he went ahead to be dishing out gifts to them as well as paying bride price of a cow and four goats to my father despite my warnings. After my change of mind, I also went to his family and mine and told them to stop all moves to consummate the marriage because I am no longer interested, but for reasons best known to them, they refused.
“Is marriage now by force? I am a single mother of three but I can’t marry someone capable of killing because I might be a victim one day. I don’t mind remaining single if he is the only man for me in this life,” Oluchi claimed.
Responding, Oluchi’s elder brother, Tochukwu Ezaka, who represented the father, said she had brought shame to their family for having three children from three different men out of wedlock and explained that the introduction of Samson to them was a great relief.
According to him, Oluchi, with a calabash of palm wine, authorised them to accept Samson as her husband and father of her children as their tradition demands and all rites to legitimate that were performed.
He regretted that she had continued to bring more shame on them by suddenly rejecting her husband and stressed that she had to make all the refunds because they acted in accordance with her directives.
In her ruling, Chairman of Family Law Center Abakaliki, Mrs Elizabeth Nwali, ordered the family to refund all they took from Samson on or before February 19, 2024 since the intended marriage could no longer hold.
Nwali ruled, “Marriage is consummated with consent of two adults. When one is no more interested, then there is problem. With the situation of things, I order that Mr Ezaka and his family should refund all they took from Samson Unah on or before the 19th day of February 2024.
“The matter is adjourned to the said date for report of compliance.”
