Lagos State House of Assembly Members have called for an upgrade on the Local Government and Community Affairs to update and computerize all Marriage Registries in the State.
The Chairman of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petition and LASIEC, Hon. Victor Akande laid a report on a petition titled “Complaint against S.O Omole (Mrs.), the Marriage Registrar of Eti-Osa Local Government, Ikoyi–Obalende Local Council Development Area, LCDA on the issuance of invalid Certified True Copy (CTC) of Marriage Certificate to Mrs. Philomina Lamina” by Labi-Lawal and Co. While reading the report on the floor of the House, Hon. Victor Akande stated that the petition alleged that Mrs. Omole S. O, marriage registrar of Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA issued a Certified True Copy (CTC) of a Marriage Certificate to Mrs. Philomina Lamina on a marriage purportedly held in the old Eti-Osa L.G in year 2000, which was eventually confirmed to be invalid by the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs upon enquiry from the Ministry.
The report also stated that Mrs. Philomina Lamina claimed that she got married to her husband who is now deceased in August 2000, adding that all documents relating to the marriage including the Marriage Certificates and photographs were missing and untrackable. She stated further that on her instruction, the CTC in question was secured by her Legal Counsel, Ubani and Coy. However, the Legal Counsel, Ubani and Coy, disclosed that the Legal firm secured the CTC on the instruction of its client due to loss of all documents that could validate the claimed marriage. It was also confirmed that the firm got the CTC from Ikoyi-Obalende marriage registry through a letter without any Police report and affidavit attached to it.
In its findings, the Committee observed that the certified true copy of the Marriage Certificate with serial number 089-2000 dated 8th August, 2000 issued by Mrs.Omole S.O, Marriage Registrar of Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA to Mrs. Philomina Lamina was not found in the original Ledger of the Eti-Osa LG and other two sisters LCDAs; the original Ledger with serial number 089-2000 dated 27th July, 2000 officially belongs to Mr. and Mrs. Adeniyi Isiaka Olona and not Mrs Philomina Lamina. It was also observed that the issuance of CTC with serial number 089-2000 dated August, 2000 by Mrs. Omole S.O Marriage Registrar of Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA did not follow due process as there was no Police Report sworn Affidavit and confirmation from ledger to back up the claim by Mrs. Philomina Lamina and her legal counsel in line with the extant laws ; there is no uniformity in the record keeping among the marriage registrars of LGs/LCDAs in the state as some of their records are full of inconsistencies and discrepancies.
Furthermore there is no effective monitoring/supervisory role over the activities of the marriage registrars by the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs; the marriage registration law, 2015 does not envisage some new realities and there is no regular training/workshop for the marriage registrars at the Local Government /Local Council Areas to boost their efficiency. While deliberating on the petition, each of the members took turns to express their views. According to Hon. Rotimi Abiru, stated that the Law Firm, Ubani and Coy should not be seen associating with such criminal cases.
In his contribution, Hon. Agunbiade, the Majority Leader expressed that the action of Mrs. Omole is embarrassing to the State Government and this act is becoming rampant in our Local Government. He also upholds that a PMB should be held for Mrs. Omole and the outcome should be communicated back to the House of Assembly. Hon. Bisi Yusuff opines that the case is a very serious issue, “Based on the recommendations, the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs should ensure regular monitoring of Marriage Registers / Certificates and should make it part of their oversight functions.
It also stated that the Local Government Service Commission should constitute a Personnel Management Board PMB against S.O Omole, the Marriage Registrar, Ikoyi/Obalende LCDA for necessary disciplinary action without further delay to serve as deterrent to others and the outcome should be communicated back to the House. The Deputy Speaker, Hon. Wasi Eshinlokun-Sanni who presided over the Sitting on behalf of Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Obasa noted the need to urgently review the Marriage Registration Law 2015, in order to conform to modern day reality. “There is a need for regular training and retraining of Marriage Registrars across the State to boost its efficiency”.
