Lagos – An Orile Agege Customary Court in Lagos on Friday dissolved a 30-year-old marriage between, Omolola and Kehinde Shobowale, on grounds of threat to life and infidelity.
The President of the court, Dr Kayode Whenu, held that the marriage had broken down irreparable.
“The binding love and affection is totally missing and despite all the counseling, the wife insisted on divorce hence the court has no choice than to oblige her.
“Starting from today, you ceased to be addressed as husband and wife; you shall go your separate ways and maintain the peace.
“The children in the marriage are adults and the only teenager among them stays with the oldest child, so there is no reason for custody in this case,’’ he ruled.
The petitioner, Omolola on Nov. 2, 2015 had urged the court to dissolve her marriage to Shobawale, citing battery, threat to life and infidelity.
Omolola, 53, a caterer of No. 24, Bakare Jafojo Street, Abule Oki, Iyana Ipaja, a suburb of Lagos, said that her husband beats her at will.
“My husband is adulterous and a defiant womaniser, he lives in deceit and he is a professional pretender.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
“He is a church leader but a trouble maker; I want to enjoy the remaining years of my life, I cannot continue to stay with the man who beats me always.
“I took care of my children while they were young and I paid all their bills,’’ she said.
The mother of eight, aged 29 to 13, told the court that she had left her matrimonial home since 2013.
“The summation of the years of trouble where I experienced hardship and hostile environment led me to have left the house. I want a divorce,’’ she insisted.
Her husband, Kehinde,59, of 17 Bello Owolabi Street, Iyana Ipaja, denied all the allegations and opposed the request for dissolution.
“The allegations made by my wife are baseless, unnecessary and devil induced. These allegations were strange and frivolous.
“You will agree with me that it is not a normal situation that a partner is seeking dissolution of a 30-year-old marriage,’’ he said. (NAN)