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NEWS & LIFE

Court dissolves 10-year-old marriage over husband’s infidelity

An Igando Customary Court in Lagos on Friday dissolved a marriage between a trader, Stephanie Ode and Geofrey, on grounds of infidelity and abandonment.

Delivering Judgment, the President of the Court, Mr Adeniyi Koledoye,
said that court had no other choice than to dissolve the marriage.

“The court hereby pronounces the marriage between Stephanie and Geofrey Ode dissolved today.

“Both of you henceforth cease to be husband and wife.

“Each of you should go on his or her separate ways unmolested; the court wishes both of you well in your future endeavours.”

Koledoye gave the custody of the three children to Stephanie and ordered Geofrey to pay N20, 000 monthly for their feeding and also be responsible for their education and welfare.

The 39-year-old trader, Stephanie, had earlier approached the court to terminate her marriage accusing her husband of adultery.

”My husband was a loving, caring and faithful when he was poor until he became rich.

”A businessman, based in London started sending him cars and power bikes to sale. When money began flowing in, he started flirting around with different women.

“He comes home late and drunk, sometimes, he will not even come home for days.

The petitioner said that Geofrey does not care for her nor the children.

The mother of three accused husband of abandonment.

She pleaded with the court to terminate the union and allow her to return the bride price in line with their custom.

Who was duly informed on the suit against him through the internet, was not in court and did not send any legal representative.

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NEWS & LIFE

Sanwo-Olu, Ayade, others seek end to child marriage in Nigeria

Wives of the Governors of Lagos and Cross River have joined other stakeholders in calling for decisive actions towards ending the scourge of money marriage in Nigeria.

They made the call on Thursday at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) women group event, with the theme: “Stop! Don’t Pawn the Girl -Child” in Lagos.

Mrs Ibijoke Sanwo-olu, wife to the Governor of Lagos State, described the pawning of the girl-child as one of the greatest human right abuses in our contemporary society.

Sanwo-Olu, represented by Mrs Abosede Ogundimu, said the culture of money marriage was a life changing modality for many girls forced to trade their childhoods for a life of dehumanisation.

She stressed the need for people to be educated and enlightened, about the evil of pawning the girl- child for whatever reason.

“It is a tradition that threatens the future of the girl-child, robbing them of the opportunity to make decisions about their lives, disrupting their education and making them more vulnerable to violence discrimination and abuse.

“We must cut off its root causes while it widely acknowledged the dominant cause is poverty.

“The more we keep silent and refuse to take decisive actions, the more difficult it is to defeat this monster that has continued to strip young girls of their dignity and confine them into a life they did not bargain for,” she said.

Also, Mrs Linda Ayade, Wife of the Governor of Cross River, in her remarks, described money marriage as a strange, primitive, and barbaric concept yet to be fully destroyed among people in Cross River State.

Ayade, represented by Mrs Stella Bisom, official of Cross River government, however revealed that engagements were under way with the government, traditional rulers, and non-governmental organisations to abolish the practice.

She revealed that her NGO, Mediatrix Development Foundation, had reached out to over 200 beneficiaries, 95 per cent of whom are females, who are victims of money marriage, equipping them with skills, funds and education to live better lives.

Mr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director, UN Women, noted that Nigeria had the highest cases of child bride with more than a third of her girls in underaged marriage and 22 million married before the age of 18.

Mlambo-Ngcuka, represented by Mr Lansana Wonneh, Deputy Country Representative, UN Women in Nigeria, attributed the development to poverty, gender inequality, traditions and weak legislative and institutional structures.

“When early child marriage is firmly addressed and eliminated, the girl-child can achieve far-reaching potentials with positive impacts on family and society generally.”

Mrs Toki Mabogunje, President, LCCI called on women advocacy groups, international development institutions, traditional and cultural leaders, the Organised Private Sector (OPS), and the media to scale up efforts and programmes to fight this scourge.

Mabogunje said that these efforts should create awareness, establish enforceable legal frameworks, monitor and prosecute abuses, and empower the girl-child to make seamless reporting of abuse without any form of stigmatisation and threats to life.

“Emerging media reports and data show that “1 in 3 women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence”.

“Since the outbreak of COVID-19, violence against women and girls (VAWG), and particularly domestic violence, has intensified.

“With 49 per cent of Nigerian women married under 18, Nigeria has the world’s highest number of child brides, according to data from the United Nations.

“This calls for more actions beyond the government’s efforts,” she said.

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NEWS & LIFE

Court dissolves 10-year-old marriage over wife’s stealing habit

An Igando Customary Court in Lagos on Thursday dissolved a 10-year-old marriage over wife’s penchant for stealing.

A 45-year-old businessman, Mr Mutiu Bamgbose, in his petition also accused his wife, Aliyah of Infidelity.

Delivering Judgment, the President of the Court, Mr Adeniyi Koledoye held that it was obvious from available testimony and the respondent’s refusal to appear in court that the marriage had hit the rocks

“Throughout the duration of this case, the respondent refused to honour court processes despite been served severally.

“Therefore, the court has no other choice than to dissolve the marriage.

“The court hereby pronounces the marriage between Mr Mutiu and Mrs Aliyah Bamgbose, dissolved today.

“Both of you henceforth cease to be husband and wife.

“Each of you should go on his or her separate ways unmolested; the court wishes both of you well in your future endeavours,” he said.

Koledoye gave custody of the twin (girls) to the respondent and ordered Bamgbose to be pay N10, 000 monthly for their feeding.

The president gave the custody of the male child to the petitioner.

Bamgbose said:”my wife is a thief, she is not always satisfied with what I give her, she keeps stealing my money at will.

“The most painful was when she stole my N3 million and squandered it.

“Because of her habit, I started keeping my money in the ceiling but she will still entered the ceiling and steal it.

“When I could no longer condole it, I opened a bank account and she becomes angry and make life miserable for me.

“It was obvious that my wife does not love me, she is just after my money.”

The embattled man accused wife, who failed to appear in court after being summoned severally, of adultery.

“She started having affairs with a married man in our community, I approached the man and warned him seriously to desist from my wife.”

The petitioner said that his wife abandoned her matrimonial home and took away all his belongings.

“I came home from work and met my house empty, she packed away all my property leaving only the chairs.

‘”She took our twin daughters with her and left the boy behind.

“Aliyah is fetish, there was a day I opened her bag, saw charm, I took it to the head of my family, she was summons but she could not explained how she got the charm.

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NEWS & LIFE

Court dissolves 12-year-old marriage over battery

A Grade I Area Court in Kubwa, Abuja, on Monday dissolved a 12 -year-old marriage between Hadiza Isiyaku and Mohammed Ibrahim on grounds of battery.

Isiyaku in her petition, prayed the court to dissolve her marriage on grounds of lack of love and abuse.

Delivering judgment, the Presiding judge, Muhammad Adamu also ordered the petitioner to observe “Iddah” (waiting period to be observed for three months) before contracting another marriage.

Isiyaku who resides in Kubwa, Abuja said her 12-year-old marriage was marred by constant beatings from her husband.

She also said that Ibrahim accused her of sleeping around with men and insults her mother.

The mother of four, said the marriage was contracted under the Islamic law.

Ibrahim, however consented to his wife’s petition for divorce saying that he wishes her the best in life.

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NEWS & LIFE

Court dismisses divorce suit, orders man to pay wife N10, 000 compensation

A Sharia Court sitting in Magajin Gari, Kaduna State, on Friday dismissed a divorce suit filed by a housewife, Amina Aminu, against her husband, Umar Muhammad, alleging that he smokes in her room, dislikes her relatives and did not feed her for nine months.

Delivering a ruling, the Judge, Murtala Nasir dismissed the case and ordered Muhammad, to pay N10, 000 to the complainant as compensation for not appearing before the court four times after being summoned.

In her petition, Aminu who lives in Rigasa, Kaduna, through her counsel, S. Abubakar, prayed the court to order Muhammad to pay N60, 000 as compensation for not appearing before the court.

Muhammad who also resides at Rigasa in Kaduna, through his counsel, Nazifi Shehu, prayed the court to dismiss for wanting in jurisdiction.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), report that in previous sittings, the defendant obliged his wife’s request for divorce
and also prayed the court to order her to marry another wife for him.

The court however, adjourned the case for the complainant to make consultations before its judgment.

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NEWS & LIFE

Man ends marriage over wife’s alleged witchcraft

An Igando Customary Court in Lagos on Tuesday dissolved the 29-year- old marriage of a 60-year-old trader, Mr Femi Olatunde, who accused his wife of witchcraft.

The court’s President, Mr Adeniyi Koledoye, declared that it was proper for both parties to go their separate ways since they were tired of being husband and wife.

Koledoye held that the court’s decision was in the best interest of the parties as all efforts to reconcile them had failed, leaving the court with no other choice.

“The court hereby pronounces the marriage between Mr Femi Olatunde and Mrs Yemi Olatunde dissolved today.

“Both of you henceforth cease to be husband and wife.

“Each of you should go his or her separate way unmolested; the court wishes both of you well in your future endeavours.”

He held that Olatunde would be responsible for the children’s education and general welfare.

The president ordered the petitioner to pay a severance fee of N400,000 to his wife for her to move on with her life.

Olatunde had earlier told the court that his wife was a witch.

“My wife entered the world of darkness in order to destroy my life.

“She attacked me severally in my dreams which resulted to sicknesses in the physical world.

“Yemi is fetish; she took my picture to a herbalist and some charms were made on it which nearly paralysed me but God intervened.”

The embattled husband said that his wife instigated his children to steal.

“My money always gets missing but the most painful was when my wife colluded with my son to duplicate the key of my room and stole N250,000 a client gave me to do a job.

“My son, who later admitted stealing the money, could not give account of it.”

He said that Yemi threatened to kill him by poisoning his food.

“There was a day I finished eating and immediately started experiencing stomach pain.

“I rushed to the Church and was given some antidote and anointing oil which made me to vomit the poison.

“Whenever we have misunderstanding, she invites hoodlums to the house to attack me. She has done that on seven occasions,” he said.

In her defence, the 54-year-old Yemi, a trader, denied all the allegations and accused her husband of turning her into a punching bag.

“My husband beats me at the slightest provocation. There was a day he beat me and I had to be hospitalised.

“I did not poison his food neither did I send hoodlums to attack him and I have never encouraged the children to steal.”

The respondent said that her husband was irresponsible, claiming that he was starving the family and had always refused to pay the children’s school fees.

The mother of five said that her husband was fetish and was the one responsible for her sickness.

“I entered his room one day and saw a dead fowl with candles surrounding it. I have been sick and it reached a stage that I once lost my senses.”

According to her, Femi sleeps in the hotel with different women.

“He eventually married one of them,” she told the court.

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NEWS & LIFE

Man in court for biting, pulling out wife’s hair

A man, Moses Ochelle, on Thursday appeared in anUpper Area Court in Makurdi, for allegedly biting and pulling out ”clumps” of his wife’s hair in an attack in their bedroom.

The police charged Ochelle with assault, causing grievous hurt and criminal mischief.

The Prosecution Counsel, Insp Veronica Shaagee, told the court that the defendant’s wife, Elizabeth, who lives in Makurdi reported the case at the “D” Division Police Station, Ankpa Ward, Makurdi on Aug. 3.

Shaagee told the court that Ochelle, attacked his wife, injured her and broke the windshields for her Toyota Corolla car 2005 model with registration No:KWL286ND during an argument.

She said investigation into the matter was still ongoing and asked for an adjournment.

The offence, she said, contravened the provisions of sections 327 and 242 of the Penal Code Laws of Benue.

He pleaded not guilty.

The Magistrate, Ms Rose Ioryshe, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in like sum.

Ioryshe warned cautioned him against any further act of violence towards his wife.

“Though the offence is not ordinary bailable as such violence could lead to loss of life but since the couples have children, I will advice that they settle there differences,” she held.

Ioryshe further adjourned the case until Aug. 26 for further mention.

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NEWS & LIFE

Court grants man’s divorce request, after wife denies him sex for 4 years

An Igando Customary Court in Lagos on Wednesday granted the request of Mr Eric Frank for dissolution of his 30-year-old marriage to mother of four, Ibeawuchi, for denying him sex for four years.

Delivering Judgment, Mr Adeniyi Koledoye, President of the Court, said that since Frank, insists on divorce after several interventions, the court is left with no option other than to grant him his wish.

“The court hereby pronounces the marriage between Mr Eric and Ibeawuchi Frank dissolved today.

“Both of you henceforth cease to be husband and wife.

“Each of you should go on his or her separate ways unmolested. The court wishes both of you well in your future endeavours.”

Koledoye ordered Frank to pay N150,000 as severance fee to his wife and also pay N200,000 for her to get a new accommodation.

He gave custody of the children to Frank, who is in better position to train them and granted Ibeawuchi unhindered access to the children.

Frank, a 56-year-old businessman, had approached the court to terminate his marriage claiming his wife denied him sex for four years.

“My wife denies me my matrimonial rights. She also threatened to kill me so that she can inherit my property.

“My wife collected N420,000 from my tenant without my consent and never gave account of the money.

”She is also a drunk and fetish,” he said.

Responding to the allegations, Ibeawuchi, accused her husband of engaging in ”juju” practice.

“He is the fetish one. He brings different prophets to the house and also buries all sorts of things on the ground,” she said.

The mother of four said she used the N420,000 she collected from one of their tenants to renovate the house.

The 45-year-old trader said she never threatened to kill her husband.

She begged the court not to grant her husband’s wish for divorce because she still loved him.

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EDUCATION HEADLINES

Mother of 10 loses 48 years marriage for denying husband sex

A mother of 10, Mrs Tolu Osho, has lost her 48-year-old marriage for allegedly denying husband sex.

An Igando Customary Court in Lagos, on Wednesday, granted the request of her estranged husband, Mojidi, to dissolve the union.

The court president, Mr Adeniyi Koledoye, said that since the petitioner insisted on divorce after several interventions, the court was left with no option other than to grant him his prayer; and pronounced the union dissolved.

“The court hereby pronounces the marriage between Mr Mojidi Osho and Mrs Tolu Osho dissolved today.

“Both of you henceforth cease to be husband and wife.

“Each of you should go his or her separate ways unmolested; the court wishes both of you well in your future endeavours,” Koledoye asserted.

The president ordered the petitioner to pay N250,000 to his wife as severance fee and also pay another N250,000 for her to get a new accommodation.

The petitioner, a 72-year-old mechanic, Mr Mojidi Osho, had earlier told the court to nullify his marriage because his wife was denying him his conjugal right to sleep with her.

“The last time my wife allowed me to sleep with her was 10 years ago.

“I am starving seriously, but whenever I come home with my girlfriends, she will chase them away,” Osho said.

The septuagenarian also accused his wife of threatening to kill him so that she can inherit his property.

“My wife wanted to kill me; she has been feeding me with poison.

“There was a day I fainted and was rushed to the hospital and it was detected that I ate poison.

“I thought I will not survive it, but God saved me and I stopped eating her food,” he said.

The embattled man said his wife was a witch who kept attacking him in the spiritual realm.

“On two occasions, she shot arrows at me in my sleep which led to sicknesses, but God healed me.

“She also buried charm in my workshop and customers stopped patronising me.

“My wife made me impotent, but I survived it after spending huge amount on hospital and herbal treatment,” he claimed.

“Tolu makes my life miserable, I would have gone far in life if I have not married her.

“I regret the day I met her and I wish I can turn back the hand of the clock,’’ Osho said.

According to him, Tolu stopped washing his clothes 27 years ago; he therefore, begged the court to end the marriage to save him from committing murder.

Responding to the allegations, the 68-year-old trader, Tolu, said that she denied her husband sex for only four years not 10 years as he claimed.

“I stopped him from making love to me four years ago when he started bringing different girls home to sleep with, after which he will want to sleep with me; so I refused him,” she stated.

The mother of 10 children denied threatening her husband’s life, or attempting to kill him through poisoning.

“I did not poison my husband’s food since 1973 when we got married, is it now that I will poison him?

“He is just looking for excuses to discard me; he came to this court to divorce his second wife, now he wants to also divorce me so that he can marry a new wife,” Tolu said.

According to her, Osho is fond of invoking curses on their children, which is affecting their lives now.

The respondent begged the court not to grant her husband’s wish for the dissolution of their marriage, saying she still loved him.

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NEWS & LIFE

Civil servant in court for impregnating married woman

A 39-year-old civil servant, Iroghama Charles, on Wednesday appeared before a Gwagwalada Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly impregnating a married woman.

The police charged Charles, who lives in Chukukun Kuje Area Council, FCT with enticing a married woman.

The Prosecution Counsel, Dabo Yakubu told the court that the complainant Kayode Akande, who lives in Chukukun Kuje Area Council, FCT, reported the matter at the police station on July 13.

Yakubu said that the defendant enticed the complainant’s wife, Justina Kayode and on the process had sexual intercourse with her.

He said that the act resulted in pregnancy which the defendant went further and gave the complainant’s wife oral medication inorder to terminate the pregnancy.

The prosecutor said the offence contravenes the provisions of Section 389 of the Penal Code.

The defendant, however pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Chief Magistrate Aliyu Shafa addmitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N200,000 with one surety in like sum.

Shafa ordered that the surety must reside within the jurisdiction of the court.

He adjourned the case until Aug. 30 for hearing.