Court dissolves 20-year-old marriage on grounds of abandonment

A Grade A Customary Court in Ibadan on Friday dissolved the marriage between one Taiwo Olowolayemo and her estranged husband, Olusola on grounds of abandonment and starvation.

Delivering judgment, the court’s President, Mrs S.M. Akintayo pronounced the 20-year-old marriage dissolved on ground that the petitioner was not willing to continue with the union.

Akintayo said that the court’s record revealed that the originating court processes were served on the Olusola, but stayed away from the hearing.

She that the evidence adduced by Taiwo confirmed the existence of a valid marriage between the parties and there was no contrary view against it.

She awarded custody of the three children produced by the union to the petitioner and directed the Olusola to be responsible for the feeding and all other welfare of the children.

The President of the court restrained Olusola from harassing, threatening, disturbing and interfering with the private life Taiwo henceforth.

Earlier, Taiwo told the court to compel her ex-husband to pay N90,000 as the three children’s monthly feeding allowance based on the fact that he had neglected them for too long.

“My lord, our relationship was going on well since 2005 when Olusola started staying away from the house without providing for the sustenance of the children and I.

“Worst still, Olusola completely refused to provide me with any form of financial support, thus, exposing myself and the children to starvation.

“He eventually sent me packing from his home and I had to leave with my children she said.

She said Olusola stopped playing all his fatherly role, including payment of the children’s school fees since she packed out of his home.

The petitioner tendered receipts of the children’s school fees as evidence before the court.

According to the petitioner, Olusola has a good salary as petrol tanker driver and buoyant enough to meet all the financial obligations, but deliberately refused to do so.

However, Olusola was not in court when he was called to begin his defence in the matter.