Court dissolves 23-year-old marriage between banker, bricklayer

A 23-year-old marriage between Azeez Adeshina, a bricklayer, and his wife, Oluwatoyin, a banker, was on Friday dissolved on the orders of an Ikorodu Customary Court in Lagos State on the grounds of the wife’s desertion.

The 40-year-old husband had told the court that his wife left their matrimonial home 10 years ago because he caught her red-handed with a man.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adeshina, who resides at Ikorodu, had approached the court, asking it to dissolve the marriage which has produced three children.

“I caught my wife red-handed with different men at different times and she left the house because I accused her of adultery.

“She also threatened my life, I want this court to dissolve the marriage,” he said.

However, Oluwatoyin, a 40-year-old banker, who did not deny her husband’s claims, also agreed to the dissolution of the marriage.

The Acting President of the court,  Mr Adeniyi Popoola, pronounced the union dissolved, saying the effort to reconcile the couple had failed.

“The marriage is hereby dissolved based on irreconcilable differences and the fact that they have parted ways a long time ago.”

He, however, awarded the custody of the last two children of ages 11 and 12 to the woman.

“This marriage is terminated and the husband should pay N150,000 as rent to the wife for their accommodation.

“The husband should also pay the sum of N15,000 feeding allowance monthly through the court and should also be responsible for medical expenses and their education.

“The first child aged 19 should, however, decide whoever she wants to live with.

“Visitation right is granted to the husband at the reasonable time of the day on any agreed date he wants to see the children,” the president said.