By section 4 of the Act such marriage is only void if the parties do not apply to a judge for permission to contract such a marriage and the judge consequently grants same having been satisfied that exceptional circumstances warrant the grant of the permission.
However, the position has changed in Europe following a recent change in the law by the European Court of Human Rights, a person can now marry his or her child’s former spouse or his or her parents former spouse; either party is under the age of 16; or the parties have intermarried in disregard to certain requirements as to the formation of a marriage.
3 Invalidity by The Lex Loci Celebrationis (Law Of The Place Of Celebration) A marriage is regarded as void where the parties fail to comply with the form prescribed by the law of the place where it was contracted as regards the solemnization of marriage.
In Nigeria, for a marriage to be valid it must comply with certain requirements set out in Section 21 of the Marriage Act. Section 33(2) of the Marriage Act 1914 further states that a marriage is void where both parties to a marriage knowingly and wilfully take part in marriage under any of the following circumstances:
- In any place other than the office of a registrar or a licensed place of worship
Without a special license granted by the Minister authorising such marriage between named persons by the registrar or a recognised minister of some religious denomination (church or mosque) or body in accordance with Section 13 of the Marriage Act.
- Celebration under false name(s)
Celebration without a Registrar’s Notice
Celebration by a person not being a recognised minister of a religious denomination or body or by a registrar of marriage.
It is noteworthy, that it must be proved that both parties contracted the marriage in full knowledge of any of the circumstances mentioned above. See the case of Anyeagbunam v. Anyeagbunam.
- Lack of Consent: the marriage in this instance is void where either of the party’s “consent” was obtained on the basis of:
Duress or fraud. Duress in the sense that the consent was obtained through compulsion or by creating a state of fear or apprehension in either of the parties and fraud where certain facts were misrepresented by a party to the marriage to obtain the consent of the other.
This occurs where a party is mistaken as to the identity of the other party or the nature of the marriage performed.
A marriage is void where consent was obtained from a party incapable of understanding the nature of the marriage.
- Marriageable Age: A marriage is void where either of the parties contracted the marriage at an age not regarded as marriageable age by the law. Although the Act does not prescribe marriageable age, the Child Rights Act and the Child Rights Law of States state that an 18-year-old is an adult and thus of marriageable age.
A marriage contracted under any of the grounds mentioned above is void ab initio, as it never existed, nor it is recognized by the law. A decree nullifying a non-existent marriage is thus not necessary. However, to clear any assumptions created by virtue of the parties’ relationship or actions that connote the existence of a marriage, a decree nullifying same may be obtained in that regard. Also, parties upon realizing any of the errors above that can be remedied by a subsequent valid marriage may proceed to do so.
Grounds Upon Which A Petition for Decree of Nullity of Voidable Marriage can be Filed
A voidable marriage, unlike a void marriage, is valid and only becomes void at the instance of one of the parties to the marriage. The marriage is valid for all intents and purposes in the eyes of the law (having complied with the prescribed form and also was not contracted under any of the grounds that would render it void ab initio), until and unless a party to the marriage decides to render the same void.
A marriage is voidable at the instance of one of the parties to the marriage on the basis of any of the conditions stated in section 5 of the Marriage Act:
Incapacity to Consummate the Marriage: where either party to the marriage is incapable of consummating it, the marriage is voidable at the instance of the party capable of consummating the marriage.
It should be noted that the incapacity to consummate must be specific. If it sterility that is, where the party cannot procreate ( for a man, he cannot impregnate the wife) this does not amount to incapacity, neither does use of contraceptives or withdrawal method amount to incapacity, this is the decision in the English case of Baxter V. Baxter
The lack of capacity to consummate must exist at of time of the marriage and during the hearing of the petition. Moreover, Section 36 of the Act states that a decree of nullity cannot be made on this ground until the court is satisfied that at the time of hearing of the petition: the incapacity is not curable, or the respondent refused to submit for a medical examination to determine whether it is curable or not and/or the respondent refused to submit for proper treatment if the incapacity is curable.
It is noteworthy that by the provision of section 35 of the Act, a party suffering from the incapacity to consummate cannot file a petition in this regard unless he or she is not aware of the incapacity at the time of the marriage.
Similarly, Section 36(2) of the Act also provides that the decree shall not be made if the petitioner is aware of the incapacity at the time of the marriage or by the conduct of the petitioner, he or she has condoned it, or time to complain elapse lapse of time, public interest, where it would be harsh and oppressive to the respondent or for any other reason.
It is noteworthy, that the party must be incapable of consummating the marriage and is not wilfully and persistently refusing to do same which is a ground for the dissolution of marriage.
Unsound Mind, Mental Disorder/ instability and Regular Attacks of Insanity or Epilepsy: where either party suffers from any of these, a decree can be sought to nullify the marriage. The insanity need not be total, it can also be in form of inability to understanding easily. Section 5(2) of the Act defines mentally defective as one owing to an arrested or incomplete development of mind due to inherent cause, induced by disease or injury which requires oversight thus making the party unfit for the responsibilities of marriage.
Section 37 of the Act states that for a petitioner to file a petition under this ground, he/she must be ignorant of the fact at the time of the marriage, must have filed a petition for decree of nullity not later than 12 (twelve) months after the date of the marriage and sexual intercourse must not have occurred after discovering the fact relied on.
Venereal Disease: A marriage is voidable where either party is suffering from a venereal disease in a contagious form. This ailment must have existed at the time of the marriage. Such diseases include HIV, Hepatitis B, etc. The disease can be established in court by calling medical evidence.
By the provision of section 38 of the Act, a decree of nullity of a voidable marriage has the effect of annulling the marriage from and including the date on which the decree becomes absolute, but it does not render illegitimate a child of the parties born since or legitimated during the marriage.
A petition for a decree of nullity of marriage is to be filed in accordance with Form 6 provided for in the Matrimonial Causes Rules, wherein details of the petitioner and respondent, their marriage, children, grounds for the petition are stated and any other evidence or witnesses that can be used to prove the existence of facts relied on. The action is can be commenced at any State High Court
It should be noted that only statutory marriages (i.e. marriages under the Marriage Act) are entitled to any of the matrimonial reliefs under the Matrimonial Causes Act. However, they must comply with the prescribed form provided by the law.
Interestingly, an interested party may bring a petition for a decree of nullity of a void marriage upon the death of either party, but in a voidable marriage such cannot be filed as it remained valid till the death, it does not deprive the surviving party of any rights he/she may have under the law vis-a-vis the marriage.
To be continued.
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