Court dissolves 11-yr-old marriage over adultery, stealing allegations

A customary court sitting in Agege, Lagos, yesterday dissolved the 11-year-old marriage between Mr Adeola Ajulo and his wife, Funmilayo, over allegations of adultery, stealing and lying.  Adeola, 45, a civil servant, had asked the court to end the marriage because he was fed up with the respondent’s way of life. He added that she […]

A customary court sitting in Agege, Lagos, yesterday dissolved the 11-year-old marriage between Mr Adeola Ajulo and his wife, Funmilayo, over allegations of adultery, stealing and lying. 

Adeola, 45, a civil servant, had asked the court to end the marriage because he was fed up with the respondent’s way of life. He added that she had even packed out of their matrimonial home without his consent.

He said, “My wife is adulterous, troublesome and not trustworthy. She is uncontrollable and steals my money for frivolous things. Also, my wife deceived me. She did not tell me that she had another child before l married her. She had lied to me that the child belonged to her elder sister.” 

The petitioner told the court that his wife did not care about him and was also nonchalant about the welfare of the children. “I want peace and don’t want any problem for my life,” he declared, adding he was no longer in love with her. 

Fumilayo, 38, a food vendor, responded that her husband was “a violent and fetish” partner. 

“He always comes home with charms, which he sprinkles round the house. My fear is that he may kill me one day if I do not end the marriage.  My husband beats me all time, even in front of our children and neighbours. 

“As a result of the frequent beating, sometime in May 2017, I packed my belongings from his house and moved to the church with my children.  l can no longer bear the pains. I pray the court to separate us so that I can live comfortably. I am also fed up with the union,” she said. 

The president of the court, Mrs Ibironke Elabor, noted that the estranged couple were tired of the marriage as all efforts to reconcile them had failed. 

“Since both parties have consented to the dissolution of their marriage, this court has no choice than to dissolve it. The court hereby pronounces the marriage between Mr Adeola Ajulo and Mrs Isiwat Ajulo dissolved today. Both parties henceforth cease to be husband and wife,” Mrs Elabor ruled. 

She gave the custody of the children to the respondent and instructed the petitioner to be paying N30,000 monthly for the upkeep of the children, education and other bills.