‘She no longer cooks for the home’

An Ado-Ekiti Customary Court in Ekiti State, has dissolved the 13-year-old marriage between Mr Alaba Omotoso, a pastor, and his wife, Toyin Omotoso, a teacher over lack of care.

Alaba sought the dissolution on the grounds of threat to his life, lack of care and disobedience.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the petitioner told the court that the respondent was fond of flouting his orders and instructions.

He further stated that the respondent was fond of not preparing his meals and when she did, it was at her own convenience.

The father of two told the court that the respondent’s elder sister was always threatening his life and cursing him.

The petitioner told the court he was tired of their marriage and appealed to the court to dissolve it.

He further prayed the court to award him custody of the children for proper care and upbringing.

He said the respondent was fond of inflating prices of food stuff whenever he gave her money for food, therefore , the feeding of the children in her custody cannot be guaranteed.

The respondent refuted all the allegations leveled against her by the petitioner.

She stated that she always took good care of her husband and children.

She explained that whenever the petitioner is sick, he would not disclose his health conditions to her  but instead inform their church members.

According to her, the petitioner was fond of nagging and getting angry with her whenever she asked for feeding allowance.

“He almost killed me on a particular day I asked him money for food. I was actually pregnant then, “she told the court.

Toyin  prayed the court to compel the petitioner to increase their children’s  feeding allowance from N5, 000 to N10, 000, considering the economic situation in Nigeria.

She agreed on joint payment of the children’s  school fees and  food allowance.

The respondent, however, said that she was against divorce.

The court president,  Mr Joseph Ogunsemi, however said that the marriage had broken down irretrievably and consequently dissolved the marriage.

He awarded custody of the two children to the respondent for proper care and upbringing.

Ogunsemi ordered the plaintiff  to  pay N4, 000 as feeding allowance for each child every month.

He further ruled that the petitioner would be responsible for the education of their children at all levels.