Court dissolves 15-year-old marriage for alleged money ritual

A middle-aged housewife, Mrs Olawumi Olasemo on Friday prayed a Mapo Grade ‘A’ Customary Court in Ibadan to dissolve her union to estranged husband, Wale Olasemo on grounds of attempted money ritual and domestic violence.

Olawumi, told the court that she was most sadden by the fact that Olasemo attempted to use their two children for money ritual.

Delivering judgment, the court’s President, Mrs S.M. Akintayo pronounced the marriage dissolved, noting that the evidence tendered by the petitioner indicated that there was a valid customary marriage between Olawumi and Olasemo.

Akintayo said that the dissolution was necessary in the interest of peaceful living especially with the involvement of the lives of the children for money ritual.

Quoting relevant sections of the law to back her judgment, Akintayo awarded custody of the two children from the union to Olawumi and ordered Olasemo to pay N20,000 as the children’s monthly feeding allowance to the court.

Furthermore, she granted the order restraining the respondent from harassing, molesting and interfering with the private life of the petitioner.

Also, the president directed the two to be jointly responsible for the education and other welfare of the children.

Earlier, she told the court she was afraid of her husband due to his bad attitude and lack of love for her.

”When I took note of Olasemo’s desperate attempt to use our two children for money ritual, he became unhappy.

”He beats me. I parted ways with Olasemo about eight years ago and he has since remarried.

However, Olasemo was absent from court .

The court noted that the respondent was duly served with originating summon as well as notice of court hearing, but preferred not to make any appearance.