An Ado-Ekiti Customary Court on Wednesday, dissolved a 31-year-old marriage between Adedara Francis and his wife, Oluwakemi, on grounds of frequent beating, infidelity, lack of care and desertion.
Francis, 52, the petitioner in the suit and a resident of No. 14, Adewumi Oluwole St., Ado-Ekiti, had accused his wife of spousal abuse, infidelity, lack of care and desertion, and urged the court to dissolve the marriage.
Delivering the verdict of the court on Thursday, the President, Olayinka Akomolede, said that from the evidence adduced by the parties on Nov. 4, 2020, the marriage had broken down irretrievably.
Akomolede therefore dissolved the union and ordered that the custody of the last child, Tomiwa, was granted to the petitioner, while the two older children still at home, Abimbola and Damilola could decide who they wish to stay with.
She also granted the respondent access to see Tomiwa in his school without any restrictions
During the hearing, Francis had told the court that at the least provocation, his wife would descend on him and beat him up.
He said that the respondent was a violent woman, and on two occasions, her beatings landed him in hospital.
Francis further accused his estranged wife of irresponsibility, adding that she had demonstrated lack of care for him and the children of the union.
The father of four also alleged desertion for 10 years by his wife, adding that they were no longer living together.
The petitioner therefore urged the court to dissolve their marriage and give him the custody of the children– three females: Opeyemi (32), Abimbola (22), Damilola (19) and a male, Tomiwa (17)
However, the respondent, Oluwakemi, 51, a resident of No.13 Nova Road in Ado-Ekiti, denied all the allegations levelled against her.
She described her husband as a pathological liar, and denied the adultery allegation against her.
Oluwakemi, a nurse, said that the text message her husband saw and subsequently accused her of adultery was meant for one of her patients.
She admitted that she left the house because of the way her husband was beating her on daily basis.
The respondent, however, urged the court not to dissolve the union.