Court dissolves 10-year old marriage over infidelity allegation

A Customary court sitting in Badagry, Lagos, yesterday dissolved the 10-year-old marriage between Mr Olalekan Akingbade and his wife, Funmilayo, over the wife’s alleged involvement in extramarital

affairs.

The three-man panel headed by Barrister Sikirudeen Adekola held that the marriage had broken down irretrievably.

The court held that parties should live their lives independently without any hindrances or harassment from each other, and they must maintain peace between themselves.

Akingbade, the petitioner, got married to Funmilayo in 2009 with the consent of her family, but no dowry was paid.

Akingbade told the court that the respondent, whom he married after her former husband’s death, publicly molested him at a barbing saloon and threatened to harm him with a broken bottle.

Funmilayo, who said Akingbade had abandoned her since February 2019, admitted all the petitioner’s claims but prayed the court to plead with him to forgive her and promised to amend her ways.

After the court had given the couple several opportunities to resolve their differences amicably, the petitioner informed the court that he had made up his mind not to have any marital relationship with the respondent any more.

Delivering the judgment, the court granted the custody of their daughter to Funmilayo until she attains adulthood.

The court also ordered that the petitioner should pay the respondent N80,000 for accommodation and must be responsible for the education and medical bills of the child.

It was further ordered that the petitioner shall be paying the respondent N10,000 monthly as upkeep allowance for the only child.