An Ikole-Ekiti Customary Court on Thursday dissolved a 13-year-old “marriage” between Mrs Omojola Funmilayo and her husband, Kolade, over constant beatings.
The News Agency of Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the marriage was dissolved on the grounds of constant fightings, no proper care for the petitioner and no dowry paid.
The mere association was blessed with three children; namely, Odunayo,12, Anuoluwa 9, and Fatuase Bosede, 5 years old.
The Petitioner, Omolayo Funmilayo, 39, a trader, told the court that she was not customarily married to the respondent.
She explained that she lived with him for some years and left him in September 2018 because the respondent always beat her whenever he is drunk.
Funmilayo informed the court that she has been the only one taking care of their three children, but she is willing to release them to their father.
The petitioner prayed to the court to dissolve her association with the respondent and award the custody of all the children to the respondent.
The respondent, Fatuase Kolade, 45, an artisan, denied the allegation levelled against him.
He told the court that he was customarily married to the petitioner.
Kolade explained that the major cause of their problem was as a result of an act of adultery committed by the petitioner which eventually made her pack out of his house in August 2018 without due notice.
The respondent informed the court that the petitioner deliberately packed out of his house to cover the secret of being pregnant for another man.
He said he was no longer interested in the petitioner and therefore consented to the dissolution.
Kolade prayed to the court to award the custody of all his children to him to enable the children to have adequate care.
The President of the Court, Mrs Yemisi Ojo, after hearing the testimony of both parties, observed that the parties are not customarily married and she dissolved their association.
She awarded all the children of the parties to the respondent for proper care.
Ojo added that the respondent would be responsible for the welfare and education of the children with the support of his family members especially older women because all the children are females.
She advised both parties to maintain peace.