Guests and members of the congregation outside International Pentecostal Holiness Church, venue of the wedding

Jethro Ibileke

It was like a scene in a home movie, during a wedding ceremony on Saturday, in Benin City, Edo State, when a woman marched to the church altar, seized the microphone from the officiating Priest, accused the groom of dumping her for his new bride, and demanded that the wedding ceremony be stopped immediately.

The dramatic scene occurred at the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, Benin City, during a wedding ceremony between a man simply identified as Dele, and his bride, whose name was given as Blessing.

The bride is said to be a caterer by profession.

The enraged woman whose identity could not be ascertained was said to have learnt about the wedding ceremony via a Facebook post before the traditional and court wedding ceremonies were held.

It was gathered that the angry woman had stormed the church with some hefty-looking men, in an Audi car as early as 6.30 am, but waited patiently till the wedding ceremony began at 12 noon.

The wedding cake

Trouble started when the officiating pastor asked the congregation if anyone “knows of any reason for which the couple should not be joined as husband and wife.”

After the question and just when the ring bearer was about handling the box containing the rings to the groom, the self-acclaimed jilted lover marched to the altar, seized the microphone from the Pastor and shouted, “No! No! This wedding will not hold.”

The shocked Pastor was said to have repeated the announcement for the second time, and the light-complexioned woman again answered, “No” in a thunderous voice, to the bewilderment of the entire congregation.

She approached the altar where she narrated how the groom proposed to marry her in 2017, after a courtship that lasted for seven years but did not produce any child.

The enraged woman told the congregation that she entered into a covenant with Dele before the church altar where he worshipped.

According to her, “He (Dele) no longer picks my calls. He abandoned me. Why? What did I do to you?”

The new bride, who watched helplessly as the drama unfolded collapsed on her seat, while Dele, who was clad in a cream-coloured suit on black trousers​ and a pair of glasses, broke down in tears.

The entire neighborhood of the church was thrown into turmoil following the suspension of the wedding ceremony by the officiating pastor.

Onlookers

Some of the invitees accused the presiding pastor of failing to carry out a background check on the couple, whereas others blamed the unfortunate incident on the sexual recklessness of the groom.

A member of the church who did not want to be named claimed that the groom was sighted at the birthday celebration of the ex-lover just a few weeks ago.

She added that tears were seen on Dele’s eyes even before the commencement of the wedding ceremony.

According to her, “The best man who was highly embarrassed by his action, urged him to calm down, while he used​ a white handkerchief to wipe away his tears.

“Dele attended her birthday a few weeks ago. It will surprise you to know that Dele was still going to see that girl at home. Why will you do such thing when your wedding is around the corner,” she queried.

Two hours after the incident, the officiating pastor was allegedly given another directive by the authorities of the church to join the couple who later arrived in a grey-coloured SUV, in holy matrimony.