A mother of four, Risikat Adegboyega, lost her 16-year-old marriage as an Igando Customary Court in Lagos granted her husband’s application to dissolve the union because she supposedly demands a bribe before sex.
The president of the court, Adeniyi Koledoye, held on Thursday that since the petitioner insisted on divorce despite interventions, the court had no choice but to grant his wish.
“The court hereby dissolves the marriage between Pastor Abayomi Adegboyega and Mrs Risikat Adegboyega; you henceforth cease to be husband and wife.
“Each of you should go his or her separate ways unmolested. The court wishes both of you well in your future endeavours.
“The custody of the first and third children of the marriage are awarded to the petitioner while that of the second and fourth children are awarded to the respondent, their mother.
“The petitioner must be paying N10, 000 monthly for the feeding of the two children in the woman’s custody and must be responsible for their education and general welfare,” he held.
Mr Koledoye also ordered the petitioner to pay N200,000 to the lady to continue her life.
The Nigeria News Agency (NAN) reports that Mr Adegboyega, a 48-year-old, has been seeking divorce on the basis that his spouse is asking him to “bribe” before sex.
“My wife starves me of sex, she will never allow me to sleep with her unless I give her money or buy her a gift,” he had told the court.
He vowed to kill himself if the court would not dissolve the union which produced four children.
“Risikat should never come near me, I do not want to have anything to do with her again.
“She is irritating me, I will kill myself if the loveless marriage is not dissolved,” he said.
The embittered husband also alleged that his wife cooked his food late and tarnished his image in public.
“My wife wants my ministry to collapse, she defames my character before my members and others; people who want to help me refuse because of what they hear from her,” he said.
He added that his wife was fighting against members of his church.
However, Mrs Adegboyega, 39, denied all the accusations and accused her husband of threatening her life with charms.
“My husband told me that he would use charms to destroy my life; indeed, after few weeks, I was very sick; everywhere my family took me to, they said it was a spiritual attack,” the trader told the court.
She said she never denied her husband sex or cooked his food late.
She also denied fighting with her husband or church members.
The respondent accused her husband of beating her at the slightest provocation.
She added that nine months ago, without sending cash for their upkeep, he chased her and the children out of her marriage home.
“He is just looking for an excuse to dump me. If he wants to marry another wife, he should go ahead instead of making false allegations against me,” she said.
She prayed to the court not to dissolve the union, stating she still loved him despite his misconduct. (NAN)