Ado-Ekiti – Mr Lawrence Bamidele, 49, on Tuesday appealed to an Ado-Ekiti Customary Court to dissolve his 14-year-old marriage to his wife, Toyin for allegedly deserting him.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that, Bamidele, a resident of No 14, Onala street, Ado-Ekiti, is seeking dissolution on the ground of desertion by his wife.
He alleged that the wife absconded with one of their three children to an unknown destination.
He told the court that his wife had left home for six years with his 11-year-old son, Idowu Bamidele.
Bamidele said that the two female children, Opeyemi, 13 and Taiwo, 11, are with him.
He told the court that he had released money to his wife on three occasions to rent shop for her fashion designing business.
According to him, whenever the rent expires, she would not renew the rent and attempts to inquire what she does with her money always end with crisis.
“I was responsible for the feeding of the house, paid the children school fees, and paid for her shop rent until recently when I stopped,” he said.
The father of three told the court that his wife keeps bad company, saying that his wife will not come home for a week.
Bamidele said that there was a day he came back from work and discovered his wife had packed out of the house with the children.
He explained that he reported the development to his in-law, who condemned her action, but appealed to him to take things easy and give them time to talk to her.
Bamidele also recalled another day when the two parents came to settle their differences, but they did not agree, and since then, his wife had left the house.
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He said that his wife has gotten married to another man with a child, while he is also married another wife.
The petitioner said he wanted the divorce on the advice of the counselling unit in their church, to enable him make restitution.
He, therefore, prayed the court to award him the custody of the male child.
But the respondent, Toyin, 37, told the court that her husband knew that she had a child before he married her.
“I told him that whoever will marry me will accept my child,” she said.
She said that her husband told him before they got married that he has problem with women, and had impregnated three different women.
The respondent said that her husband told her that all the women suddenly disappeared and on inquiry from their families, he was told that they have remarried.
She said that her husband parents came to abuse her and shortly after that her husband sent her out with the children.
“But to my surprise, my husband went to pick the female children from school, without my consent, “she said.
The respondent claimed that she was not happy that the two children were living with him, alleging that they were not properly taken care of.
She, therefore, prayed the court to award her the custody of the three children.
The President of the Court, Joseph Ogunsemi after hearing from both parties adjourned the case till Oct. 12 for judgment. (NAN)
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