10th August, 2010
Plans have been concluded for a man whose pregnant wife died recently after a fight with her, to perform her traditional marriage because he could not do so when she was alive.
He is now going to pay her bride price and perform the traditional marriage with her corpse, according to Igbo tradition.
The 27-year old pregnant woman, Ndidi Amaka Okoli reportedly collapsed and died a few minutes after a fight with her husband, Emmanuel Okoli.
The incident happened at their 53, Otitokoro Street, Egbe, Lagos, Nigeria. Following her death, the relations went to the police station at Ikotun and reported the matter. And he was arrested.
P.M.NEWS investigations revealed that the late Ndidiamaka was a nurse before she went and started living with Emmanuel as husband and wife. The relationship lasted for three years and was blessed with a daughter.
Throughout the years they were living as husband and wife, no bride price was paid neither did he perform the traditional wedding as required by their culture in Imo State. All efforts made by the relations of the deceased to prevail on him to do the introduction failed as he only made promises he did not fulfill.
P.M.NEWS gathered that the couple had disagreement which later resulted in a scuffle. She died later. After the incident, the husband was alleged to have deposited her corpse at Isolo General Hospital before informing her relations.
A police source confirmed the incident and told P.M.NEWS that they had commenced investigation on the matter.
As part of making peace between the two families, it was decided that since the man did not pay her bride price before she died, the man cannot claim that she was his wife until he does so.
This is to enable the woman’s family to be part of the burial.
This development was confirmed by the deceased woman’s brother, Osondu Ezekule, adding that he cannot claim to be their in-law without proper marriage being conducted even after the woman’s death.
—Cyriacus Izuekwe