In Lagos State High Court, Admiral Alison Madueke (rtd) has filed a petition to formally dissolve his marriage to Diezani Madueke. The filed petition calls for a court order to stop the former Minister of Petroleum Resources from using his last name and revert to her maiden name, Agama.
On June 30, 1999, Madueke, the former military governor of Anambra and Imo states wedded Diezani in accordance with the Marriage Act.
This was contained in Madueke’s petition for a jactitation of marriage (a proclamation that the marriage has terminated)
Given the charges of corruption against Diezani, the former Chief of Naval Staff contended that her continuous use of his name, even after their marriage had ended, was bad for his reputation and could have unforeseen implications, including erroneous culpability.
In the petition, Madueke mentioned that Diezani had earlier filed for divorce at the Nasarawa State High Court in Mararaba Gurku in November 2021, claiming that their marriage had irreconcilably broken down and that they wished to formally dissolve it.
According to him, he didn’t challenge the lawsuit that resulted in their marriage being dissolved by the court. But even after their marriage was formally dissolved, Diezani kept using his last name.
“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.”
Mr. Madueke explained that he directed his legal representatives to serve Diezani a formal request on December 14, 2023, demanding that she cease using his surname and revert to her maiden name, Agama.
“Despite this legal notice, Diezani has failed to respond and continues to use 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 requested a permanent injunction to prevent Diezani from using his name going forward as their marriage has ended.
In addition, he asked for a permanent injunction to prevent the respondent from ever again claiming that they are married through words or deeds.
He is requesting a court order compelling Diezani to take back her maiden name and to openly declare in a national newspaper in the UK and Nigeria that she is no longer going to use his surname.
Born in Nigeria on December 6, 1960, Diezani K. Alison-Madueke is a politician and the first female president of OPEC.
On November 27, 2014, during the 166th Ordinary Meeting of OPEC in Vienna, she was elected. On July 26, 2007, she was appointed Nigeria’s minister of transportation. In 2008, she was transferred to the Mines and Steel Development Ministry, and in April 2010, she was named Nigeria’s first female Minister of Petroleum Resources.
