In a dramatic turn of events that highlights the clash between tradition and personal conviction, an Anglican priest in Anambra State solemnized a wedding after the bride courageously refused her father's ultimatum to swear a binding oath before a traditional deity.
Father's Ultimatum at the Shrine
The incident unfolded in Onitsha, Anambra State, on Saturday, January 10, 2026. According to the officiating priest, who recounted the episode in a video online, the bride's father, Ekene Aniukwu from Nteje in Oyi Local Government Area, had approached him several times before the wedding date.
Aniukwu claimed he had previously taken his ex-wife—the bride's mother—to a deity over unresolved marital issues. He issued a stern warning that if the wedding ceremony proceeded without addressing his spiritual concerns, the marriage would be doomed to fail.
Attempt at Compromise Fails
In an initial bid to maintain peace and allow the union to happen, the priest advised the couple to consider the father's demands. The couple, along with the required items, accompanied the father to the designated shrine.
However, upon arrival, Ekene Aniukwu dramatically changed his stance. He moved beyond his initial request and insisted that his daughter must personally swear a severe oath to permanently sever all ties with her mother. Faced with this impossible choice, the bride made a decisive move.
Bride's Defiance and Holy Matrimony
The young woman refused to take the oath. Choosing her relationship with her mother over the coercive ritual, she fled from the shrine. With the father's condition unmet and the bride having made her position clear, the priest took a bold step.
He went ahead with the original plan and joined the couple in holy matrimony after offering special prayers for their future together. This act affirmed the couple's right to marry without succumbing to what they perceived as an unjust traditional imposition.
The video of the priest's narration, shared by popular blogger Linda Ikeji, has sparked widespread discussion online about the limits of parental authority, the pressures of tradition, and individual rights in modern Nigerian society.
