Benue State High Court in Makurdi has labeled as malicious the claim that Tiv men offer their wives to male guests for sexual pleasure under Tiv native law and custom.
This was stated in Tuesday’s judgement delivered by the Chief Judge of Benue State, Maurice Ikpambese, in a case filed by a nonprofit organisation, Mzough U Tiv, against the Tiv Area Traditional Council (TATC).
Mzough U Tiv had filed the suit seeking declarative judgement against the false claim made by Venita Akpofure a house mate on the Big Brother Naija show.
According to Douglas Pepe, counsel for the plaintiff, Akpofure on the BBNaija show, said that Tiv men offered their wives to their male visitors for sexual pleasures.
Pepe expressed shock that instead of pursuing a legal action against Akpofure for making such defamatory statement, TATC as the cultural body responsible for safeguarding the collective interests of the Tiv people, only verbally condemned the comment.
He submitted that what Akpofure said 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,” he posted.
The plaintiff therefore sought the court to make a declaration that under the 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.
In his judgement, Ikpambese granted the reliefs sought by the plaintiff.
He said that Akpofure’s assertion about were malicious falsehood.
He also said it lacked substance and should therefore be discountenanced.
