Divorce: Court fixes Aug.16 for further hearing

A Grade ‘A’ Customary Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Monday fixed Aug.16 for hearing of stay of proceedings in a committal application for contempt filed by a lecturer, Prof. Sikiru Babarinde, in a divorce case filed by his wife.

His wife, Dr Balikis Babarinde, who is the Plaintiff, had approached the court, seeking the dissolution of her 20-year-old marriage with Babarinde, over allegations of maltreatment.

Balikis, through her Counsel, Mr Funmiso Idowu, had earlier filed committal application for contempt against the respondent (Babarinde) for failing to obey the court order mandating him to be paying school fees of the three children produced by the marriage.

The respondent, through his Counsel, Mr Yusuf Anikulapo, had filed an application for stay of proceedings against the committal application.

At the Monday’s proceedings, the plaintiff’s counsel, informed the court of his pending application, praying for an extension of time to file counter affidavit to the application of stay of proceedings.

Idowu informed the court that the respondent had been served with the application, urging the court to grant his application.

Anikulapo confirmed the receipt of the application, saying that he has just been served in the court.

The court, therefore, granted the application for extension of time.

Anikulapo urged the court to adjourned the case to enable him to respond on the point of law to the counter affidavits filed by the plaintiff.

The respondent’s counsel said he would have responded to the application, if the plaintiff’s counsel had served him earlier.

The court’s President, Mrs R. Gbadamosi, adjourned the matter until Aug.16 for hearing of the application and responses from both parties.

Recall that the plaintiff had urged the court to dissolve her 20-year-old marriage, which was contracted in March 2, 2002 and produced three children, over alleged maltreatment.

She said that the marriage had broken down irretrievably, while the respondent denied the allegations.