Nollywood actress Rita Edochie has tackled fellow actress Judy Austin, who is married to her nephew-in-law, Yul Edochie.
Rita Edochie made the statement on her Instagram page on Tuesday morning amid her ongoing legal dispute with Judy Austin.
According to her, a woman should not describe herself as a man’s second wife when his existing statutory marriage has not been legally dissolved.
The actress argued that a man’s family accepting another woman or holding a wedding ceremony with her does not automatically make the relationship a legally recognised marriage if his previous statutory marriage is still valid.
Rita added that separation, disagreements, lack of communication or having children with another woman do not by themselves bring a statutory marriage to an end.
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She stressed that a man cannot simply declare that his first marriage is over and legally marry another woman without first obtaining a proper dissolution of the existing marriage.
Rita Edochie also warned women against relying solely on what a man tells them about the status of his previous marriage.
She wrote; “I MUST ENTER THE AJAH MANSION BY FIRE BY THUNDER….YOU WISH……DESPERATION CAN MAKE YOU IGNORE THE RED FLAG..
STOP CALLING YOURSELF A “SECOND WIFE” WHEN THE MAN HAS NOT LEGALLY DIVORCED HIS FIRST WIFE YOUR FEELINGS , HIS PROMISES , AND YOUR IGNORANCE OF THE LAW DO NOT MAKE AN INVALID MARRIAGE VALID ! .
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A MAN WHO HAS CONTRACTED A STATUTORY MARRIAGE CANNOT SIMPLY DECIDE THAT THE MARRIAGE IS OVER AND MOVE ON TO MARRY ANOTHER WOMAN UNDER THE SAME LAW . UNTIL THE FIRST MARRIAGE IS PROPERLY DISSOLVED , IT REMAINS A SUBSISTING MARRIAGE . LIVING APART , FIGHTING , STOPPING COMMUNICATION OR EVEN HAVING CHILDREN WITH ANOTHER WOMAN DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY END IT .
THIS IS WHERE MANY PEOPLE NEED TO STOP DECEIVING THEMSELVES .
A MAN TELLING YOU THAT “MY FIRST WIFE IS NO LONGER MY WIFE ” DOES NOT MAKE IT A LEGAL FACT .
HIS FAMILY ACCEPTING YOU DOES NOT MAKE IT LEGAL EITHER . EVEN A GRAND WEDDING CEREMONY CANNOT SIMPLY ERASE AN EXISTING STATUTORY MARRIAGE . A MAN’S PROMISE IS NOT A DIVORCE DECREE .
AND PLEASE , DO NOT ARGUE WITH THE LAW USING EMOTIONS . IT DOES NOT MATTER WHO HE LOVES MORE , WHO HE HAS BEEN LIVING WITH , OR WHO HE CLAIMS IS HIS “ REAL WIFE .” THE LAW IS CONCERNED WITH THE LEGAL STATUS OF THE EXISTING MARRIAGE , NOT THE STORY YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD IN PRIVATE .
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WHERE THE FIRST STATUTORY MARRIAGE IS STILL SUBSISTING , A SUBSEQUENT STATUTORY MARRIAGE CAN BE VOID AND MAY CARRY SERIOUS LEGAL CONSEQUENCES .
SO BEFORE YOU ACCEPT THE TITLE OF “SECOND WIFE,” ASK THE QUESTION MANY PEOPLE ARE TOO AFRAID TO ASK : HAS THE FIRST MARRIAGE ACTUALLY BEEN DISSOLVED BY LAW ?
AND WHEN PEOPLE START TALKING ABOUT INHERITANCE , BE CAREFUL WITH THE HALF-TRUTHS YOU SEE ONLINE MAKA NDU GI OOOO .
IT IS WRONG TO SIMPLY SAY THAT THE SECOND WOMAN AUTOMATICALLY INHERITS NOTHING WHILE THE FIRST WIFE AUTOMATICALLY INHERITS EVERYTHING . SUCCESSION CAN DEPEND ON A WILL , THE APPLICABLE LAW , OWNERSHIP OF THE PROPERTY , CHILDREN AND OTHER LEGAL CIRCUMSTANCES . INHERITANCE IS NOT A MATTER OF WHO SHOUTS THE LOUDEST ON FACEBOOK .
SO , BEFORE YOU ACCEPT A MAN’S WORD THAT YOU ARE HIS “SECOND WIFE,” FIND OUT WHAT THE LAW”
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KanyiDaily recalls that Rita Edochie said she will appear in court to defend herself in the defamation case filed against her by Judy Austin.
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