He abandoned me 3 times but always came back to beg, woman tells court

An Alimosho customary court in Lagos State has dissolved a 14-year-old marriage between a 40-year-old businessman, Abraham Jokotola, and his wife, Adekemi, over adultery and abandonment.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the president of the court, Alhaja S.O. Mumuni, in her judgement, said that it was obvious from available testimonies and the respondent’s refusal to appear in court that the marriage had hit the rock.

“Throughout the duration of this case, the respondent refused to honour the court’s summons. Therefore, the court has no other choice but to dissolve the marriage.

“The marriage between Adekemi Jokotola and Abraham Jokotola is hereby dissolved from today in accordance with the Lagos State Customary Law 2013, Cap. 19.

“Both parties are no longer husband and wife, they are free to marry any other partner of their choice, without any hindrance or molestation,” she said.

The petitioner, Adekemi, 38, a businesswoman, had approached the court to end her 14-year-old marriage for alleged infidelity and abandonment.

She said her husband did not respect and obey their marital vows by abandoning her to marry another woman without her knowledge.

“In 2005, after three years of our marriage, my husband packed out of the house to an unknown destination, telling me that he was done with me because I was yet to give him a child.

“In 2007, he begged me for forgiveness, I accepted him back. We solemnised our wedding in the church. He abandoned me again in 2009 only to resurface again in 2013,” she said.

Adekemi said that when she was tired of his disappearing acts, she called for a meeting of both families.

“It was there he confessed that he had married another woman who had a baby for him,” she said.

Adekemi urged the court to dissolve the marriage which produced no child, saying, “I do not love him anymore; he is a traitor and a cheat.”