Court dissolves 22-year-old marriage over infidelity, threat to life

An Agege Customary Court in Lagos on Wednesday dissolved a 22-year-old marriage between Adewale Oluokun and his wife, Titilayo, noting that the marriage had broken down irretrievably.

The Court President, Mr Emmanuel Sokunle said: “Starting from today, you cease to be addressed as husband and wife.

“The custody of the children is referred to the Family Court, Ikeja, for final decision.

“In the interim, the children will remain with their mother and since she didn’t demand any money from their father, the man is ordered to go his way and maintain the peace.

Sokunle also ruled that the respondent should stay away from his former wife and that at no time should he come near her.

The petitioner, Titilayo, 51, had on March 13, filed a suit urging the court to dissolve the union, citing infidelity and threat to her life.

Titilayo, who  resides  at No. 8, Aina Aladi St., Agbado, Lagos, in her testimony, said that her husband, though a pastor, went after “everything in skirts’’.

“Four women had four children for my husband in the last three years and he also has numerous girlfriends; I know some of them because they live on my street.

“I was in the church sometime in 2009 when a woman came with three children, claiming they belonged to my husband.

“It was a thing of shame because I am the founder of the church and also a prophetess, while my husband is one of the pastors.

“I gave the woman N20, 000 and begged her; I told her not to come to the church again and when I told my husband, he only thanked me,” she said.

The mother of two children, aged nine and 18, also told the court that she once brought her husband before another Customary Court and the case was settled there.

“In the other Customary Court in 2011, he was asked to write an undertaking that he would not impregnate any other woman again.

“To my surprise, he impregnated two women after that and I knew I had to call it quits with him. He beats me at every slight provocation and even threatens to kill me; he does not give the children feeding money or pay their school fees.

“I had him arrested sometime last year because he wanted to stab me and at the police station, he was asked to move his things out of my house,” she said.

The prophetess told the court that her husband had been living in the house which she built.

She urged the court to dissolve the marriage and give her custody of the children.

“I do not need any money from him in taking care of the children; all I want is for him to stay off me,” she said.

Her husband, Oluokun, did not contest the suit.

He did not appear in court or have legal representation during the two previous sittings, and at the delivery of the judgment. (NAN)

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