Admiral Alison Madueke, a former Chief of Naval Staff, has petitioned the Lagos State High Court to have his marriage to Diezani formally dissolved and to have her cease using his surname.
He is adking that the former Petroleum Resources Minister be made to use her maiden name, Agama, by the court. This was stated in Madueke’s petition for a declaration of the dissolution of a marriage (jactitation of marriage).
Given the charges of corruption against Diezani, the former Chief of Naval Staff contends that her continued use of his name, even after their marriage was declared officially over, is bad for his reputation and may result in unexpected repercussions, such as mistaken liability.
Madueke was a military governor of the states of Imo and Anambra in the past. On June 30, 1999, he wed Diezani in accordance with the Marriage Act.
The petitioner, Madueke, pointed out that Diezani had already filed for divorce, stating an irreconcilable breakdown of their marriage, at the Nassarawa State High Court in Mararaba Gurku in November 2021. Madueke sought to formally end their union.
He said he did not object to the lawsuit, which led to the marriage being formally dissolved by the court. However, Diezani continues to go by his last name.
He stated that,“On the 13th day of April 2022, judgment was delivered in Suit No. NSD/MG345/2021 by Hon. Justice A.A. Ozegya dissolving the marriage between the petitioner and the respondent on the ground that the marriage has broken down irretrievably.
“The said dissolution of marriage has now become absolute by the operation of law.
“Even though the marriage has been dissolved and is now legally finalised, the respondent continues to use the petitioner’s first name (Alison) and surname (Madueke) as her own without any justification or consent from the petitioner.
“It is now more than two-years that the respondent continues to use the name of the petitioner to his embarrassment.”
On December 14, 2023, Diezani was to receive a formal request from Madueke’s legal agents requesting that she stop using his surname and return to her maiden name, Agama. But Diezani has not replied to this legal letter and is still using his name.
“The respondent has continued to hold out herself as the wife of the petitioner even when the marriage has been dissolved.
“The respondent is undergoing criminal trials in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom. The charge in Nigeria is Suit No. FUC/ABI/CR/208/2010.
“The respondent faces public allegations of corruption and financial misconduct, for which trials are ongoing for both.
“The persistent portrayal of the respondent as the spouse of the petitioner is creating embarrassment, a misleading impression and tarnishing the reputation, integrity, and public image of the petitioner.
“The respondent’s continued use of the petitioner’s first and surname falsely suggests to the public a continuing relationship between the parties though same has since legally ended.
“The respondent’s continued use of the petitioner’s first and family names poses a significant risk of legal and financial harm to the petitioner.
“The petitioner seeks the intervention of this Honourable Court to prevent the respondent from further using his first name and surname, thereby safeguarding his image, personality, and reputation,” Madueke’s petition read.
After their marriage ended, Madueke requested a permanent injunction to prevent Diezani from using his name going forward.
