A man, Salami Ganiyu has appealed to Oja Oba/Mapo Court C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, to grant him custody of his two children which are with his ex-wife, Olubunmi Oladele.
Salami had brought a divorce suit against his wife last year October claiming that she was troublesome, stubborn and promiscuous.
He thus urged the court to separate them and grant him custody of their two children, Mariam Salami, 14 years old and Ayisat Salami, 12 years old.
The couple appeared in court on November 23, 2017, and gave their evidence.
Ruling after listening to both parties, the court president, Chief Ademola Odunade observed that the love between the couple had waned. He, therefore, dissolved their union and awarded custody of both children to the defendant.
Odunade ordered the plaintiff to pay N10, 000 monthly through the court as their children’s feeding allowance and be responsible for their education and healthcare.
Two and a half months after the judgment was given, Salami returned to court, presenting an appeal before it to revisit and reconsider the issue of their children’s custody in his favour.
The court president, Chief Ademola Odunade listened to both parties again.
“My lord, I pray the court to revisit and reconsider the issue of our child’s custody, “the plaintiff said.
“My ex-wife is not a responsible and dedicated mother. She’s not committed to our children’s welfare and has failed to enforce the required discipline in them as I did before we were separated.
“Our children are female and thus need extra care and attention considering the rate at which female children are being s3xually abused and molested but she has no time for them. I have been monitoring her, she leaves home early in the morning and returns late every day. She’s not interested in our children’s education. I have paid their school fees, but she doesn’t deem it fit to check if they are regular in school neither does she monitor what they do there. All that matters to her is that they hawk her wares.
“It’s true I’m a retiree, but I have older children from my first wife who will help me take care of them, “he said.
“My lord, he’s an irresponsible father and a liar, “the defendant stated.
“When the court separated us in November last year and put our two children in my custody, he was mandated to pay N10, 000 monthly for their upkeep starting from the end of that month and be responsible for their education and healthcare.
“He has paid this money only once since the judgment was given. He’s at present owing N20, 000 which covers the month of December and January. I have since been responsible for their general welfare. I still provide for their feeding and also paid their school fees this second term.
“My lord, I don’t admit to his claim because he has no time and capacity to fend for the children being a retiree, “Olubunmi said.
Giving his judgment, the court president, Chief Ademola Odunade gave custody of the two children to the plaintiff and ordered him to stop paying the stated N10, 000 monthly allowances.
He further mandated the plaintiff to pay the defendant the N20, 000 feeding allowance for the month of December and January which he had defaulted in paying.
Odunade stated that an aggrieved party has the right to appeal within 30 days of the judgment.