Court dissolves 15-year-old marriage over alleged money ritual

A middle-aged woman, Olawumi Olasemo, on Friday, prayed a Mapo Grade ‘A’ Customary Court in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital to dissolve her union to her husband, Wale Olasemo, on grounds of attempted money ritual and domestic violence.

Olawumi told the court that Olasemo attempted to use their two children for money ritual.

She added that she was afraid of her husband  due to his bad attitude and lack of love for her.

”When I took note of Olasemo’s desperate attempt to use our two children for money ritual, he became unhappy.

”He beat me. I parted ways with Olasemo about eight years ago and he has since remarried,” she said.

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Delivering judgement, the court’s President, S.M. Akintayo, pronounced the marriage dissolved, noting that the evidence tendered by the petitioner indicated that there was a valid customary marriage between Olawumi and Olasemo.

Akintayo said the dissolution was necessary in the interest of peaceful living, especially with the involvement of the lives of the children for money ritual.

Quoting relevant sections of the law to back her judgement, Akintayo awarded custody of the two children from the union to Olawumi and ordered Olasemo to pay N20,000 as the children’s monthly feeding allowance to the court.

She also granted the order restraining the respondent from harassing, molesting, and interfering with the private life of the petitioner.

Also, the president directed the two to be jointly responsible for the education and other welfare of the children.

Olasemo was however absent from court .

The court noted that the respondent was duly served with originating summon as well as notice of court hearing, but preferred not to make any appearance.

The Star