Mrs. Gloria Nneka Nmama has shared her painful experience involving a prolonged custody dispute with her ex-husband, whom she accused of denying her access to their child over allegations of infidelity.
Speaking during an appearance on the Brekete Family programme on Human Rights Radio and Television, Gloria explained that her former partner accused her of sleeping with other men and used the allegation as justification to separate her from their son.
According to her, the situation escalated when her ex-husband allegedly demanded that she travel to his village to perform traditional cleansing rites and sacrifices before she could regain access to the child.
She stated, “My husband accused me of sleeping with other men so he told me to go do cleansing and sacrifice in his village.”
Gloria clarified that the particular cleansing ritual being demanded is traditionally reserved for women who are legally married within the customs of that community. She maintained that their relationship did not meet those traditional conditions, making the demand unfair and coercive.
According to her account on the programme, the child has allegedly been kept away from her since June 9, 2015.
She further alleged that her ex-husband used traditional beliefs and threats to intimidate her, including claims that the child could die if he interacted with her or ate food prepared by her.
The emotional account drew concern from listeners and viewers of the programme, as Gloria explained that she has spent years seeking help from different authorities in an effort to reconnect with her son.
The case also sparked broader conversations around child custody disputes, emotional abuse, and the use of cultural or spiritual claims in family conflicts.
