Justice or Just Routine? Widow Fights Alone to Win Son Back After Hero Cop Husband’s Death

Court awards custody to grieving mother after months of delays sparked by police officer husband’s untimely death sparking debate on how long it takes justice to act when tragedy strikes.

In a courtroom charged with emotion and grief, Justice O. I. Adelaja on Thursday granted full custody of a six-year-old boy to his mother, Mrs. Jega, following the death of her estranged husband, CSP Jega a police officer whose passing delayed the case for months.

Mrs. Jega had filed for the dissolution of their troubled marriage and sought custody of their only child, a petition backed by counsel Oyarebu Fatimah (MRS) of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria. However, tragedy struck when the court was informed of CSP Jega’s death on November 19, 2024, forcing repeated adjournments and leaving the young child’s future in limbo.

Final hearings resumed on January 16, 2025, with Mrs. Jega taking the stand. She confirmed her legal marriage to the late officer on September 4, 2014, producing their marriage certificate as proof. She also submitted the birth certificate of their son, born on February 22, 2019, to establish her maternal claim.

Delivering her ruling, Justice Adelaja invoked several key precedents—including Obahaya v. Obahaya (2022) and Okwueze v. Okwueze (1989) to stress that in any custody dispute, especially one marred by loss, the welfare of the child must take precedence.

“The child, now without a father, is of tender age. The mother has shown her willingness and ability to care for him. The court is bound to prioritize the child’s physical, emotional, and moral wellbeing above all else,” Adelaja ruled.

Citing Williams v. Williams (1987) and Odogwu v. Odogwu (1992), she emphasized that a parent’s ability to provide stability, safety, and a nurturing environment was paramount.

With the judgment, Mrs. Jega has been awarded full custody of her son—offering her a bittersweet victory after enduring legal delays, personal trauma, and the burdens of solo parenthood.

But the case raises lingering questions: why must justice take so long especially when a child’s future hangs in the balance?