Nigerian journalist Wisdom Nwedene, using the Ebonyi Tradition, offers an explanation as to why Yul Edochie might face the prospect of losing custody of his children if he goes ahead to retrieve the bride price paid for his first wife, May Edochie.
Yul Edochie has been publicly expressing his frustration over his first wife's refusal to return his bride price despite his efforts to initiate a divorce. He has also voiced concerns about her retaining his surname.
Taking to Facebook, journalist Wisdom Nwedene sheds light on the cultural implications in Ebonyi State. According to him, in the Ebonyi Tradition, a man forfeits his rights to his children if he decides to retrieve the bride price he paid for his wife.
However, he explains that if the man opts to end the marriage without reclaiming the bride price, the children will still be considered his own.
Wisdom Nwedene emphasizes: “Anyone close to Yul Edochie should tell him that in Ebonyi State, once family members return the bride price, the children are no longer his own. And any man that comes to marry May will automatically own his children. That’s the tradition in Ebonyi State, and he should tread with caution unless he doesn't want the children he had with May.”
He further clarifies the procedure: “If the man, that’s Yul Edochie, should carry his wife back to her parents' house and tell her people that he’s no longer marrying again without taking any bride price from them, then the children will become his. However, if he takes the bride price back, the children won’t be his own anymore. Because the money is for the replacement of the children. And if another man pays the bride price for May, he will be the legal father of Yul Edochie’s children.”
Wisdom Nwedene concludes by urging people to seek proper information before forming opinions, emphasizing that this matter is not a court issue.
