Court dissolves 25-year-old marriage over threat to life, lack of respect

Documents & Agreements

An Orile Agege Customary Court in Lagos on Thursday dissolved a 25-year-old marriage between Idris Balogun and his wife, Abosede over threat to life and lack of love.

The Court President, Mr P. A Williams, held that the marriage had broken down irretrievably and he had no choice but to dissolve the union.

“The marriage between Abosede and Idris Balogun is hereby dissolved, they shall cease to be husband and wife and go their separate ways,’’ he said.

Williams said the children should remain in their mother’s custody until the Ikeja Family Court says otherwise.

“Idris should pay N350, 000 into Abosede’s account to enable her to settle down, ” he said.

He said they should maintain the peace at all times.

The petitioner, Idris, 55, had on July 18, 2017 approached the court seeking dissolution of his marriage over threat to life, lack of love and lack of respect.

“My wife doesn’t respect me; she once travelled to Dubai with her friends without my permission.

“I feel threatened by her moves these days, I am not happy seeing her with different types of people who behave irresponsibly,” he said.

He urged the court to dissolve his loveless marriage and grant him custody of their two children of ages 17 and 22.

The respondent, Abosede, 50, a trader, denied the petitioner’s allegations, saying “he is the one that has all the faults.

“He does rituals. He once brought a ram to the house to slaughter at midnight. I don’t feel safe living with him.

“I once caught my husband at midnight covering one of our children, who is physically challenged with a white cloth.

“I threw the cloth away and burnt it and he fought me because of it.

“There was a day my husband and his brother brought a ram to the house, they waited until midnight before they slaughtered it, I was watching through the window.

“They hung the ram in our compound for days, “she said

Abosede said she was not opposed to the dissolution of the marriage because her husband’s behaviour changed shortly after their marriage.

“ Since I caught him performing rituals he fights with me at slightest provocation,’’ she said.