An order to prevent Diezani Madueke from using his name is sought by the ex-husband of the former petroleum minister.
In a case submitted to the Lagos State High Court, Admiral Alison Amaechina Madueke is requesting that Diezani Alison Madueke be ordered to cease using his name and that his marriage to her be officially terminated.
The ex-chief of naval staff claims that Diezani's use of his name after their marriage was legally ended is damaging to his reputation and could cause mistaken liability and other unforeseen problems.
According to Madueke, Diezani formally ended their marriage in November 2021 by filing for a divorce with the Nassarawa State High Court, stating that they had irreconcilable disagreements. Their marriage was dissolved by the court because he chose not to oppose the divorce. Despite the official dissolution of their marriage, Diezani keeps using his surname.
"Our marriage was dissolved in a judgment handed down by Hon. Justice A.A. Ozegya in Suit No. NSD/MG345/2021 on April 13, 2022, on the grounds that it had broken down irretrievably," he stated. By the force of law, dissolution of marriage is now absolute. Alison Madueke's name is being used by the respondent without permission or reason, even though the divorce has been legally finalized.
The respondent has been embarrassing the petitioner by exploiting his name for more than two years. Madueke revealed that on December 14, 2023, Diezani was formally requested by his legal team to cease using his surname and return to her maiden name, Agama. Diezani, however, has chosen to disregard this official notification and persists in using his name.
The petitioner claimed that the respondent continued to identify herself as his wife even after their marriage ended. Both Nigeria and the United Kingdom have criminal trials scheduled for the respondent. Case No. FUC/ABI/CR/208/2010 is the one involving Nigeria. There are continuing trials for the respondent, who is publicly accused of financial malfeasance and corruption.
It is humiliating and harmful to the petitioner's reputation, honesty, and public image that the respondent is being depicted as the petitioner's husband. Although the relationship has ended legally, the respondent's use of the petitioner's full name gives the impression that it is still going on. A great deal of potential financial and legal damage can result from the respondent using the petitioner's identities.
In order to prevent the respondent from utilizing the petitioner's name, the petitioner is seeking the intervention of this Court to safeguard their image, personality, and reputation. Following their divorce, Madueke wants Diezani to cease using his name, so he is asking for a permanent injunction. In addition, he wants Diezani to go back to her maiden name and publish in Nigerian and British newspapers that she is no longer going by his surname, so he can get a court order for it.