Tension is on the rise in Nigeria over the conviction of Mr. Abraham Olarotimi Onifade, for forged marriage certificates.
A Woolwich Crown Court in August found Onifade guilty of the crime alongside others accused of forging thousands of marriage certificates from Nigeria.
A widely circulated Home Office press release claimed that more than 2,000 certificates were falsified, a figure later disputed in court.
However, the Nigerian media space was awash with the Home Office’s claim, culminating in a perception that Onifade was central to one of the largest immigration scandals in the country’s history among locals.
Consequently it has made the Onifade clan butt of rival families’ jokes and that of several members of their community in Abeokuta where the family hails from.
Mixed with aggrievement, the preponderance of the community members see the matter as embarrassment to Abeokuta and have been accusing the Onifades of bringing shame and dishonour to the town.
A new twist has now been added to the issue as the Onifades distanced themselves from the convict with relatives expressing anger over the damage caused to the family’s reputation.
In remarks attributed to a senior member of the Onifades: “Olarotimi has been disowned because our family is built on integrity.
“We are facing insults everywhere, not only in Abeokuta but across Nigeria and abroad. So he must drop our name and stay out of our reach to avoid calamity.”
Observers note that the matter transcends a community dispute because the issue affects Nigerians as a whole given that it potentially raises questions about marriage certificates obtained in Nigeria for future UK immigration applications.
That informed the widespread stigma and anger against the Onifades particularly the convict.
“As it stands, it’s dangerous for him to visit Nigeria because his life is at risk from disgruntled members of the public.
“Unfortunately in situation like this Nigerian security agencies are characteristically perplexed, and usually stay out of this kind of issue,” a concerned member of the public remarked.
