By Chinelo Nwangene
Angry reactions have greeted the practice of forcing newly married women to adopt their husband’s surname for official recognition by Nigerian governments at all levels.
In the past, a surname change naturally followed every wedding, particularly in this part of Africa. In fact, the name change was anticipated by every single-lady because it was considered the most cogent emblem for one’s status.
However, recent findings show a remarkable deviation from this tradition as a growing percentage of new brides now prefer to retain their maiden names! While some are opting to hyphenate their last names with their husbands’ after marriage, some are outrightly keeping their maiden names without taking up their husbands’ at all. They simply don’t want to adopt a double-barreled surname.
However, feminists championing this crusade on social media specifically criticized the practice usually employed by government ministries, departments and agencies. Mostly criticised was the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) which subjects most newly married corps members to quickly effect name change before receiving their allowances and other entitlements.
Leading the campaign on Facebook was Miss Nkechi Biaanze, a Canada based Nigerian medical student. Bianze argued that the NYSC management does not possess the legal backing to enforce such name change. According to her, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) does not have the right to compel married female Corp members to change their surnames to their husbands’ own.
She argues: “A woman reserves the right to decide that she doesn’t want to change her surname after marriage, and NYSC shouldn’t compel her to do so as a condition for her redeployed or being given the consideration as a married woman. Marriage certificate is enough proof for marriage. That’s the standard proof of marriage all over the world. That should be enough for NYSC.
“Compelling married female corp members to change their surnames to their husbands’ is patriarchal, chauvinistic, misogynistic, and an infringement on their human rights. This is 2019. Retrain your staff members who enforce such and have them stop. There is no Nigerian law that states that a married woman is under an obligation to change her surname.
She asserted: “Change of name after marriage is a CHOICE a woman makes. The decision is on the person who is considering a change. NYSC does NOT have the right to force such decisions on the married female corp members.”
Michelle Okonoba, of Women of Inestimable Value Foundation also criticized the Nigerian legal system for allowing Muslim women to retain their maiden names while denying same to Christian counterpart: ” Funny enough that same government recognises Islamic law which allows a woman to continue to bear her father’s name after marriage …in Islam a woman does not change her surname after marriage….A Muslim woman is allowed to relocate back to anywhere she decides to serve her father land….and yet we call ourselves one Nigeria….”
Genevieve Mmiliaku, also shared her mother’s ordeal in civil service: “My mum is a civil servant, this year will make it 31 years she got married, do you know that sometimes they still send them on a wild goose chase to prove that they are the same person, (that is maiden surname and marriage surname). They suddenly will pretend that they don’t know women do change surname after marriage and make them go through so much stress to prove that they are the same person.
All in a bid to either withhold or stall a payment, promotion or benefit. Mum said sometimes she regrets changing her surname when such issues come up.
Rose Ezinne Felix adds: “The one that hurts most is this change of BVN name after marriage to hubby’s surname. I have not been able to withdraw my allawee because of this. I don’t like this at all. What’s their business really”?
Oby Nnadi Osugo shared her personal experience with the NYSC: “My sister! They made me do this newspaper change of name when I got married and I had no choice….I really did not plan on doing it…but I learnt they will not redeploy you if you don’t comply…very annoying!”
Scholasticar Ekechukwu also lamented what she went through over the controversial policy. NYSC “compelled me to change my name even after I added my marital name to my surname (Ekechukwu-Okonkwo Chibundo Scholastica) .They removed the Ekechukwu which is my father’s name and replaced it with my husband’s name. As we speak, only my Nysc certificate bears my marital name.”
Chineyere Anyanwu argued that it’s unfair for a lady whose parents trained at great cost through the university to end up having a husband’s surname on the NYSC discharge certificate. “The worst is the NYSC certificate will bear the husband’s surname.
Scholastica Okoronkwo, urged women lawyers to take up the case and ensure that it’s reversed. “Please, some of our female lawyers should take this up. It should not be allowed to continue. Precedence should be set. That way, other future female corpers do not have to experience this. All the talk about gender equality is useless if we shy away from fighting things like this. It is an infringement on the fundamental rights of women. NYSC cannot win a case like that in the court of law.
Afolasade Adesina said she resisted the idea of changing her surname. “I am a married woman and I did not change my name, my husband does not care if I change it or not, he told me it’s my choice! My choice is my family name period! I have never been harassed by anyone over here for change of name, once they ask for identification boom they see my personal information on the system! I will never understand Nigeria I swear…”
Susan Ejiroghene Iriri adds: ” It’s pathetic, government hospitals do same, Their expectation is that any woman giving birth must be married and her child will bear the same name with her, so if you are answering your maiden name and want your child to answer the father’s name, you are on your own, they expect you to change your name to the baby daddy’s name by force…imagine, same rubbish happens at immigration /passport office, a woman whether married or not cannot decide to answer the name she chooses…mtchew”.
Word of Caution:
Mrs. Tina Promise, a legal expert, advocates that it’s very necessary for married women to change her father’s name to her husband’s name. According to her, changing to their husband’s surname is not bad as it was only designed by law to help them in their documents especially career women who work in so many organizations.
“It will also help your superior to know how they will be due for posting. For example, if the married women are still bearing her father’s name, probably they want to travel or acquire a landed property; with the different surname such it will not be granted.
Other legal experts, however suggests that a woman may or may not change her name after marriage, unless she is compelled to do so by government for official purposes. However, whoever decides not to change her surname after marriage should keep in mind that all her documents should reflect the same name at all times. Once there’s an alteration somewhere, it may have adverse consequences along the line. However, when in doubt, the best option is to seek legal opinion.