The spate of spousal homicide in Nigeria: Reconsidering the Christian divorce prohibition

Abstract

In recent times, spousal homicide resulting from domestic violence has been on the increase in Nigeria, and one major factor responsible for this is the Christian doctrine that prohibits divorce. Hence, employing the historical-critical exegesis and descriptive approach, this article postulated a correlation between this doctrine and spousal homicide, and sought a possible reconsideration of divorce prohibition as a solution to the latter. The work found that in Nigeria, because of the conservative view of divorce, the churches dissuade women experiencing domestic violence from divorce, just as they treat divorcees with contempt and segregation. Hence, there exists a correlation between divorce prohibition and spousal homicide because the latter is usually an outcome of domestic abuse. Therefore, the article argued that a solution to spousal homicide in Nigeria could arise from a reconsideration of divorce prohibition through a critical examination of the biblical texts upon which the doctrine is anchored.

Contribution: This article is a contribution to the discourse on the spate of spousal homicide in Nigeria arising from domestic violence. It postulates a correlation between the Christian divorce prohibition and spousal homicide, and therefore proposes a reconsideration of this doctrine as a solution to the latter.