Court dissolves 10-year-old marriage over husband’s deception

An Ikorodu Customary Court in Lagos State on Wednesday dissolved a 10- year-old marriage between a teacher, Omotola Moshood, and her trader-husband, Rasak, citing husband’s deceptiveness.

Dissolving the marriage, the court’s President, Mrs Funmi Adeola, however, directed the couple to continue to maintain peace.

Our correspondent reports that 36-year-old Omotola, who resides at Gbolahan Bello Street, Oke Egbegun in Ikorodu, had in 2016 approached the court, seeking the dissolution of the marriage on the grounds that the man deceived her into marrying him.

He lied to the woman about his marital status.

Adeola said the status quo should be maintained as regards the two children of the union pending the outcome of the Family Court’s intervention.

She also ordered the husband to pay N5, 000 as monthly feeding allowance for the first child, who is living with the woman.

“You should join hands to train your children; do not allow your separation to affect your children,” she said.

Omotola alleged that her husband pretended that he was no more in a relationship with his first wife which she later found out that it was untrue.

“My husband lured me to marrying him; he spoke with sweet mouth, saying that he had left his first wife until I heard that she has four children for my husband.

“I want this marriage to be dissolved and I urge this court to grant me the custody of my first son because he took him from me and I don’t know his whereabouts,’’ she told the court.

The estranged husband, Rasak Moshood, 48, however, did not controvert his wife’s claims and also urged the court to separate them.

“I did not tell her the truth because I liked her and I wanted her to marry me; now she is pregnant for her church shepherd (pastor), I am no longer interested in the marriage,” he said.