After several unsuccessful interventions to save a 16-year-old marriage, an Igando Customary Court in Lagos on Wednesday dissolved the union, citing the husband’s infidelity.
The marriage between a food vendor, Adejoke, and her bricklayer-husband, Musiliu Omotosho, was dissolved the President of the court, Mr Adegboyega Omilola.
He said the petitioner (Adejoke) was adamant despite several mediations from the court and family members.
“Since the petitioner wants a divorce after several interventions, the court has no choice than to dissolve the union despite the fact that the husband claims he still `loves’ her.
“The court hereby pronounces the marriage between Adejoke Omotosho and Musiliu Omotosho dissolved today; both parties henceforth cease to be husband and wife.
“They are free to go their separate ways without any hindrance or molestation.”
The petitioner, Adejoke, 39, had approached the court to end her 16-year-old marriage over infidelity on the part of the husband, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
She said her husband was in the habit of bringing his lovers to their one-room apartment to spend some days or months with them.
“I always leave the bed for them and sleep on floor and on four occasions, I had reported him to both families.
“Recently, he came home with a woman who stole my pants and brassiers I discovered after she had left.
“I told my husband to retrieve my underwears from his lover, he later came home with a bra and pant that was not mine,” she told court.
The mother of four boys accused her husband of being fetish, saying he married her with charms.
“When I was single, my husband approached me that he wanted to marry me, I told him that I had a fiancé and that our marriage was near.
“Musiliu came back the following day and touched me, I did not know how I got to his village, and I started having babies for him. As an orphan nobody looked for me, but now I am back to my senses,” she said.
“My husband had also threatened to kill me and my hair dresser had confided in me that my husband also asked her to give him strands of my hair.”
Adejoke said she was the one feeding the family, paying the house rent and the children’s school fees.
She urged the court to dissolve the union, saying “I am scared of contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STD) from him due to his unfaithfulness”.
The estranged husband, 47, told the court that he had been paying some bills contrary to what the woman said.
“I usually pay the bills, I give my wife N500 per day for feeding, but she also assists me as any good wife will do.”
Musiliu said he had returned the under wears his lover took away from their house.
He, however, denied that he never approached his wife’s hairdresser for her hair.
In spite of his alleged unfaithfulness, Musiliu still urged the court not to dissolve the marriage, saying “I still love her.”
NAN
