In a bid to save his marriage from total Collapse, popular Nollywood actor, Emeka Ike, on Tuesday, informed a Customary Court on Lagos Island, Lagos that he has filed an application before a Lagos High Court seeking to stop the lower court from further hearing of a divorce suit filed against him by his estranged wife, Emma Suzanne Ike.
Emma Suzanne had sometimes in 2015 approached the Customary Court to separate the 16 years union between her and the Nollywood actor, on alleged incessant battery.
The allegation which the actor have vehemently denied, and begged the court not to separate them, saying that he still love his wife.
On Tuesday, when the matter which was slated for judgment was called, lawyer to the Nollywood actor, Mr. A. Labi-Lawal, informed the court that his client has filed a stay of proceedings application before an High Court of Lagos state.
In the application marked FCMP/20054/16, which has Emma Ike, the Customary Court’s President, Chief Awos Awosola as the first and second defendants, is seeking High Court’s declaration that the Customary Court of Lagos state lack requisite jurisdiction to entertain and determine Emeka’s divorce suit, as the marriage between the estranged couple was conducted in Enugu state of Nigeria, under Igbo Customs and traditions.
Emeka is also urging the High Court to declare that all the proceedings already conducted by the Customary Court of Lagos State in respect of couple’s marriage which was conducted in Enugu state of Nigeria, under Igbo Customs and traditions are null and void.
The Nollywood actor also sought the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Customary Court’s President, Chief Awosola and any other person appointed in the capacity of entertaining, and/ or continuing the proceedings in respect of the couple’s divorce suit, whose marriage was conducted in Enugu state of Nigeria, under Igbo Customs and traditions.
Labi-lawal therefore urged the court to stay proceedings on the suit pending the hearing and determination of the suit at the High Court.
In opposition to the stay of proceedings application, lawyer to Emma Suzanne Ike, Mr. Iheanyi Awa, urged the court to discontinuance the stay of proceedings application, and go ahead to deliver the judgement.
Awa who said Emeka’s application was aimed at arresting the court’s judgment, informed the court that neither his client or himself has been served with the application.
He said: “it is an attempt to arrest the judgement of the court. Am aware of the respondent to arrest the judgement which is to be delivered today.
“The stay of proceedings has been decided for a long time, and the court has ruled that it has jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
After listening to the submissions of both parties, the three-man panel ruled that: “in view of the submission of the respondent, the stay of proceedings is hereby granted, and the matter is hereby adjourned sine die”.
In the divorce saga, Emeka Ike had alleged that Rev. Chris Okotie of Household of God Church, is the one behind the crisis rocking his marriage.
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