Mrs. Olawumi Olasemo, a middle-aged housewife, requested on Friday that her marriage to her estranged husband, Wale Olasemo, be dissolved on the grounds of attempted money ritual and domestic violence in Ibadan’s Mapo Grade “A” Customary Court.
Olawumi expressed her sadness to the court regarding Olasemo’s attempt to use their two children in a ritualistic exchange of money.
The marriage was declared to be dissolved by the court’s president, Mrs. S.M. Akintayo, who noted that the petitioner’s evidence showed that Olawumi and Olasemo had a legal customary marriage.
According to Akintayo, the dissolution was essential for peaceful living, particularly given the involvement of children’s lives in rituals for payment.
Quoting relevant sections of the law to back her judgment, Akintayo awarded custody of the two children from the union to Olawumi and ordered Olasemo to pay N20,000 as the children’s monthly feeding allowance to the court.
Furthermore, she granted the order restraining the respondent from harassing, molesting and interfering with the private life of the petitioner.
Also, the president directed the two to be jointly responsible for the education and other welfare of the children.
Earlier, she told the court she was afraid of her husband due to his bad attitude and lack of love for her.
”When I took note of Olasemo’s desperate attempt to use our two children for money ritual, he became unhappy.
”He beats me. I parted ways with Olasemo about eight years ago and he has since remarried.
However, Olasemo was absent from court .
The court noted that the respondent was duly served with originating summon as well as notice of court hearing, but preferred not to make any appearance. (NAN)
