An Ile-Tuntun Customary Court in Ibadan, on Tuesday, dissolved a 20-year-old marriage between Adewumi Hakeem and her husband, Abimbola, on grounds of absence of peace.

The petitioner, Ms. Adewumi, a businesswoman, who resides at Amunloko-Ojuawo area in Ibadan, had petitioned the court that her husband was an unrepentant gambler and debtor.

Ms. Adewumi said that she made up her mind to pull out of the 20-year-old marriage because she was completely tired of Mr. Hakeem’s way of life and payment of debts on his behalf all the time.

“Hakeem spends all his earnings on gambling, the reason he finds it difficult to fend for the children and I.

“We also got him a job but he chose to be lazy around, while he spent the N270,000 kept with him as the treasurer of the landlords’ association.

“Worst still, Hakeem has almost sold off all the property in the house. including; fans, generating set, kitchen utensils, my golden jewelry and some building materials,” Ms. Adewumi stated.

On his part, the husband agreed to the divorce on grounds of infidelity.

Mr. Hakeem told the court that he had, on a number of occasions, dragged Ms. Adewumi out of the church where she frequently slept with the presiding pastor.

“My lord, my sin against Adewumi is the fact that I am preventing her from further sleeping with a pastor in our neighbourhood.

“Many of my relatives and friends in the community had informed me that Adewumi and her pastor are in deep romantic affairs but I waited until I caught them red-handed in the church.

“I reported the incident to the landlords’ association, of which the so-called pastor was invited and warned, but his unholy romance with my wife still continued unabated.

“In fact, I had to drag her out of that church one Sunday morning after I returned from the landlords’ association meeting, as she had gone there as usual,” Mr. Hakeem said.

Delivering judgment, the President of the court, Henry Agbaje, pronounced the marriage dissolved, citing absence of peace as the reason.

Mr. Agbaje granted custody of the first child to Mr. Hakeem and the last four to Ms. Adewumi.

He ordered Mr. Hakeem to pay N20,000 as the children’s monthly feeding allowance, in addition to being responsible for their education and other welfare. 

(NAN)