Senior Special Assistant to the Kogi State Governor on cybercrime, Promise Emmanuel – popularly known as Kogi Rebel – used his Facebook page to ask why men choose to formalise marriages in court when their partners are financially modest. He argued that men seeking to protect assets for their spouses and children would be better served by drafting a will rather than relying on a court wedding.
Emmanuel’s post listed a series of rhetorical questions: *Why do men hold court weddings when marrying a broke woman or a woman who is not as rich as they are?* *What is the actual benefit of a Court Wedding to a man?* *If you want to protect your property to remain with your wife and kids after your demise, what happens to a WILL?* He concluded that the supposed protection offered by a court marriage appears redundant.
The aide’s comments highlight a common misconception about the legal effect of a court‑registered marriage in Nigeria. While a court marriage creates a legally recognised union, it does not automatically transfer ownership of a husband’s assets to his wife. Property rights are governed by the *[Marriage Act](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage_in_Nigeria)* and related statutes, and a properly drafted will remains the most direct instrument for estate planning.
In Nigeria, a court marriage is the official process whereby a couple registers their union before a magistrate, ensuring the marriage is recognised for civil purposes such as taxation, inheritance and spousal rights. However, without a will, a surviving spouse may still face challenges in claiming full ownership of the deceased partner’s property, especially if the assets are held in the husband’s name alone.
Emmanuel’s post, shared on the [Kogi State Government](https://kogistate.gov.ng) platform, sparked discussion among netizens about the relevance of traditional marriage contracts versus modern estate planning tools. Legal experts reiterated that while court marriages provide essential legal recognition, they should be complemented by a will to guarantee that assets are distributed according to the couple’s wishes after death.