Rear Admiral Alison Amaechina Madueke has taken legal action to prevent his ex-wife, Diezani Alison-Madueke, from continuing to use his name following their divorce. The retired naval officer has petitioned a Lagos High Court, seeking an injunction to compel Diezani to stop using both his first name (Alison) and surname (Madueke).
Madueke’s petition, filed under suit number LD/15144HD/2024, requests that Diezani revert to her maiden name, Diezani Kogbeni Agama. He also asks that she publicly announce this name change in newspapers in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
According to Madueke, Diezani’s continued use of his name presents significant legal and financial risks, particularly given her ongoing criminal trials in Nigeria and the UK.
The former naval officer highlighted that the couple had stopped living together in May 2015, following Diezani’s ministerial appointment. Diezani initiated divorce proceedings in November 2021, and the divorce was finalized on April 13, 2022, by Hon. Justice A.A. Ozegya at the High Court of Nassarawa State, Mararaba Gurku Judicial Division.
Madueke claims that Diezani’s association with his name continues to cause him embarrassment and damage to his reputation and public image. Despite their legal separation, she has allegedly continued to use his name without any justification or his consent, creating a false impression of an ongoing relationship between them.
To address this issue, Madueke instructed his solicitors, Messrs Foundation Chambers, to send a formal letter to Diezani on December 14, 2023, requesting that she cease using his name and revert to her maiden name. However, Diezani has not complied with this request.