A Customary Court sitting in Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, has dissolved the five-year marriage between Kayode and his wife, Michelle, over allegations of excessive drinking, frequent clubbing and irresponsible behaviours.
Kayode had accused his wife of turning to alcohol and regular nightclub outings after the couple failed to have a child, despite undergoing various medical and spiritual interventions.
The case was heard at the Mapo court in Ibadan after Kayode petitioned for the dissolution of the customary marriage, which began in April 2020 following the payment of N25,000 as bride price.
The petitioner alleged that Michelle’s conduct had been a source of concern from the early stages of their union, and efforts to change her behaviour did not yield any improvement after they tied the nuptial knot
He further told the court that their inability to have children became another source of strain in the marriage, despite their attempts to find a solution through both medical treatment and spiritual means.
According to Kayode, rather than allowing the situation to bring them closer, his wife allegedly increased her involvement in drinking and visiting nightclubs, behaviour he said he could no longer tolerate.
Michelle was not present to respond to the allegations, despite having been served with court summonses, leaving the petitioner’s testimony unchallenged before the court.
In her ruling, the court president, S.M. Akintayo, said the payment of the bride price established the existence of a valid customary marriage.
She held that Kayode’s uncontroverted evidence showed that the union had broken down irretrievably and consequently dissolved the marriage, declaring the parties no longer husband and wife.