EKO JSC (Delivering the Lead Judgment): The parties herein were Nigerian citizens of Igbo extraction of Imo State of Nigeria. They voluntarily renounced Nigerian citizenship and acquired the citizenship of the United States of America (USA), and later got married under the American Law. They were domiciled in the USA at all material times. It appears, and there is evidence establishing, that they have not renounced their American citizenship. They were, at all material times to the proceedings the subject of this appeal, American citizens. In 2002, the appellant had approached the Supreme Court of the State of New York County of Bronx for dissolution of his marriage to the respondent herein. He had in the petition asked for other ancillary orders regarding the sharing of the properties they had in common. The ground for the divorce at the New York Court was abandonment. The Supreme Court of the State of New York dismissed the petition, stating in its judgment, thus:
“Upon the forego…