Man seeks dissolution of 5-year-old marriage over lack of care

A 66-year-old man, Alaba Aribisala, on Thursday asked an Ado-Ekiti Customary Court, to dissolve his 5-year-old marriage to his wife, Adenike, on grounds of lack of care.

Aribisala who resides at No.13, Egbewa St., Temidire Quarters, Ado-Ekiti, told the court that since 2012 that he started living with the respondent, she had not shown him love.

He alleged that Adenike often prepared food for their twins and refuse to provide his own meal.

The petitioner also claimed that the respondent does not clean the house nor wash his dirty clothes.

‎Aribisala, who is an elder at the Mountain of Fire Ministries, explained that whenever he corrected the respondent over her negative attitudes, she would start cursing him.

He told the court that he no longer loves the respondent and urged the court to dissolve the marriage.

The petitioner further urged the court to award the custody of his two children to the respondent because the twins were just four years old.

Aribisala said that he would provide N3,000 as monthly feeding allowance and would be responsible for their education.

The respondent, Adenike, 37, a tailor, denied all the allegations levelled against her by the petitioner.

She told the court that when she met the ‎petitioner in 2012, she agreed to marry her and he rented a two-bedroom apartment and they were both living comfortably.

Adenike said that she often prepared food for him and wash the petitioner’s dirty clothes.

She denied ever cursing the petitioner or show any disrespect.

The respondent told the court that since giving birth to the twins, the petitioner had failed to care and provide for her welfare and that of the kids.

She alleged that her husband was in the habit of visiting different prophets and herbalists to provide solutions to his business challenges.

According to the petitioner, “on one occasion the petitioner told me that a prophet said that I was responsible for the problems that he was facing in his business.’’

Adenike, however, absolved herself of any complicity in her husband’s business challenges.

She told the court that the petitioner was violent and often physically abused her, after which he would order her to pack her belongings out of his house.

The respondent said that the petitioner had been threatening her life ‎but she was just enduring the sufferings in his house.

Adenike prayed the court to award the custody of the children to her and requested for N20,000 as monthly feeding and welfare allowance for the children.

‎She agreed with the petitioner for the dissolution of the union, but appealed to the petitioner to give her more time to get a good accommodation.

The President of the Court, Mrs Olayinka Akomolede, after hearing from both parties, adjourned the case until Oct. 26, for judgment.