An artist, Adebowale Ajibade, on Thursday told a Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan to dissolve his 21-year-old union to his estranged wife, Motunrayo, on alleged serial adultery.
Ajibade stated this in his counter-argument against his wife’s accusation of irresponsibility and insincerity she levelled against him.
He further said that he was fully committed to loving Motunrayo, but for her unfaithfulness over a long period of time, which God kept revealing to him.
“Immediately after our marriage, Motunrayo and I got a teaching job in a private school in Ibadan and she started dating the husband of my friend’s younger sister.
“I got to know through some of the text messages sent to her mobile phone by that guy.
“One of the love messages sent to her reads: “Motunrayo, I have missed you a lot; can you find time to come and see me in my office?”
“My lord, that concubine of hers kept calling her at around 5.30 a.m. and 11.00 p.m. every day after which I reminded her that she was a married woman.
“As if that was not enough, Motunrayo did not see any evil in dating and sleeping with the husband of her childhood friend.
“Unknown to her, I overheard the conversation between my wife and the man that Motunrayo should come around for some romantic time because his wife was not around.
“Worst still, Motunrayo is into an extra-marital affair with a lawyer, whom she used to go and meet in Lagos State after lying to me that she was going elsewhere,’’ Ajibade said.
Motunrayo had earlier informed the court that she sued for separation due to her husband’s habitual inhumanity towards her.
She alleged that she suffered 20 separate miscarriages during the process of childbearing with Ajibade and that he still treats her as a nonentity.
“Ajibade abandoned me when I needed him most while I was ill and I don’t know what he had done with my first sexual contact with him as a virgin.
“This is in addition to the fact that he made no contribution to the education and general sustenance of the only child between us,’’ Motunrayo said.
Delivering judgment, the President of the court, Chief Ademola Odunade, pronounced the marriage dissolved, citing the absence of love as the reason.
He granted custody of the child in the union to Ajibade and advised the duo to avoid anything that could bring about a breakdown of law and order. (NAN)
