Nollywood actress Rita Edochie has stated that a woman cannot legally claim to be the wife of a man whose existing statutory marriage has not been formally dissolved.

She made the assertion on Instagram on Tuesday morning amid her ongoing legal dispute with Judy Austin, the second wife of her nephew-in-law, Yul Edochie.

Rita argued that family acceptance, living together or even holding a wedding ceremony does not automatically invalidate an existing statutory marriage.

She wrote:

> ‘’I MUST ENTER THE AJAH MANSION BY FIRE BY THUNDER….

YOU WISH……

DESPERATION CAN MAKE YOU IGNORE THE RED FLAG……….

STOP CALLING YOURSELF A “SECOND WIFE” WHEN THE MAN HAS NOT LEGALLY DIVORCED HIS FIRST WIFE YOUR FEELINGS , HIS PROMISES , AND YOUR IGNORANCE OF THE LAW DO NOT MAKE AN INVALID MARRIAGE VALID ! .

A MAN WHO HAS CONTRACTED A STATUTORY MARRIAGE CANNOT SIMPLY DECIDE THAT THE MARRIAGE IS OVER AND MOVE ON TO MARRY ANOTHER WOMAN UNDER THE SAME LAW . UNTIL THE FIRST MARRIAGE IS PROPERLY DISSOLVED , IT REMAINS A SUBSISTING MARRIAGE . LIVING APART , FIGHTING , STOPPING COMMUNICATION OR EVEN HAVING CHILDREN WITH ANOTHER WOMAN DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY END IT .

THIS IS WHERE MANY PEOPLE NEED TO STOP DECEIVING THEMSELVES . A MAN TELLING YOU THAT “MY FIRST WIFE IS NO LONGER MY WIFE ” DOES NOT MAKE IT A LEGAL FACT . HIS FAMILY ACCEPTING YOU DOES NOT MAKE IT LEGAL EITHER . EVEN A GRAND WEDDING CEREMONY CANNOT SIMPLY ERASE AN EXISTING STATUTORY MARRIAGE . A MAN’S PROMISE IS NOT A DIVORCE DECREE .

AND PLEASE , DO NOT ARGUE WITH THE LAW USING EMOTIONS . IT DOES NOT MATTER WHO HE LOVES MORE , WHO HE HAS BEEN LIVING WITH , OR WHO HE CLAIMS IS HIS “ REAL WIFE .” THE LAW IS CONCERNED WITH THE LEGAL STATUS OF THE EXISTING MARRIAGE , NOT THE STORY YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD IN PRIVATE .

WHERE THE FIRST STATUTORY MARRIAGE IS STILL SUBSISTING , A SUBSEQUENT STATUTORY MARRIAGE CAN BE VOID AND MAY CARRY SERIOUS LEGAL CONSEQUENCES . SO BEFORE YOU ACCEPT THE TITLE OF “SECOND WIFE,” ASK THE QUESTION MANY PEOPLE ARE TOO AFRAID TO ASK : HAS THE FIRST MARRIAGE ACTUALLY BEEN DISSOLVED BY LAW ?

AND WHEN PEOPLE START TALKING ABOUT INHERITANCE , BE CAREFUL WITH THE HALF-TRUTHS YOU SEE ONLINE MAKA NDU GI OOOO . IT IS WRONG TO SIMPLY SAY THAT THE SECOND WOMAN AUTOMATICALLY INHERITS NOTHING WHILE THE FIRST WIFE AUTOMATICALLY INHERITS EVERYTHING . SUCCESSION CAN DEPEND ON A WILL , THE APPLICABLE LAW , OWNERSHIP OF THE PROPERTY , CHILDREN AND OTHER LEGAL CIRCUMSTANCES . INHERITANCE IS NOT A MATTER OF WHO SHOUTS THE LOUDEST ON FACEBOOK .

SO , BEFORE YOU ACCEPT A MAN’S WORD THAT YOU ARE HIS “SECOND WIFE,” FIND OUT WHAT THE LAW”