An Ikorodu Customary Court in Lagos State on Wednesday dissolved the eight-year-old marriage of a herbalist, Abiju Olaifa, and his wife, Kehinde, over childlessness.
The 60-year-old herbalist, who resides at Olaifa Street, Gbaga, off Ijede Road in Ikorodu, had approached the court in June 2014, seeking the dissolution of the union.
The President of the court, Olu Adebiyi, ruled that the couple should go their separate ways as the marriage had broken down irretrievably.
Adebiyi also ordered the petitioner to pay compensation fee of N50,000 to the respondent.
Adebiyi also ruled that the respondent should vacate the petitioner’s premises with immediate effect.
Earlier, the herbalist had told the court that his wife is not trustworthy, very stubborn and arrogant.
Olaifa said: “After three months of our marriage, my wife conceived, but I told her to move into my apartment for proper care, but she refused.
“Not quite long, she had a miscarriage.
“There was a time she left home without informing me and came back the following day.
“I believe she is into extra-marital affairs.
“Please separate us.
“I am no more interested in the marriage.”
Kehinde, 43, a food vendor, denied the allegations leveled against her.
She said: “Although we don’t live together, my husband sleeps in other wives’ apartment most of the time.
“I am not into extra-marital affairs as he claimed.
“The day he did not meet me at home, I went to my friend’s house at Akute.
“I could not come back home to sleep same day because I was held up in the traffic, so I went back to sleep in my friend’s place.
“It is not my fault that I don’t have a child, although I had one child for him who later died.
“Please help me beg my husband, it is only God that gives children.”
NAN.