Benue CJ declares claim that Tiv men offer wives to visitors for sex as malicious

The Chief Judge of Benue, Justice Maurice Ikpambese,has declared as malicious the claim that Tiv men offer their spouses to male guests for sexual pleasure under Tiv native law and custom.

Ikpambese made the declaration on Tuesday in Makurdi while delivering judgement in a case filed by the Incorporated Trustees of Mzough U Tiv against the Tiv Area Traditional Council (TATC).

The Incorporated Trustees of Mzough U Tiv had filed the suit seeking declarative judgment against the false claim made by Venita Akpofure on the Big Brother Naija show.

In a writ of summons, counsel to the plaintiff, Mr. Douglas Pepe, averred that Akpofure on the BBNaija show, which was broadcast worldwide by MultiChoice Company, asserted that Tiv men offer their wives to their male visitors for sexual pleasures.

Pepe expressed shock that instead of pursuing a legal action against Akpofure for making such a defamatory statement, TATC, as the overarching cultural body responsible for safeguarding the collective interests of the Tiv people, merely verbally condemned the assertion.

He submitted that what Akpofure said on the BBNaija show about Tiv Men had no supporting particulars to back up her falsehood.

“It was better if Venita Akpofure, an Urhobo from Delta State, had stated that in her marriage to a Tiv person, she was given out to another man for sexual pleasures," Pepe argued.

The plaintiff therefore sought the court to make a declaration that, under Tiv native law and custom, a Tiv man does not offer his wife to his visitor for sexual pleasure.

The plaintiff also sought an order of mandamus to compel TATC to promptly convene a meeting of the supreme council to initiate and subsequently issue a formal resolution codifying the principle that a Tiv man does not offer his wife to his visitor for sexual pleasure.

The plaintiff called three witnesses to prove its case.

Counsel to the defendant, Mr. E.K. Ashiekaa (SAN), surprisingly aligned himself with the argument of the plaintiff’s counsel.

The defendant called one witness and closed its case.

Delivering judgement, Ikpambese granted the reliefs sought by the plaintiff.

He said that Akpofure’s assertions about Tiv men were malicious falsehoods and lacked substance and should therefore be discounted.