The Aba-la-Ohazu Customary Court in Abia State has dissolved an eight-year-old marriage between Benjamin and Anulika Onyemechi over incompatibility.
Ruling, the senior magistrate, Diamond Olewengwa, said Benjamin had no sufficient evidence to prove his claims of adultery against his wife, Anulika.
Olewengwa noted that due to lack of love between the man and his wife, visible through the failed efforts by relations to reconcile the parties, the marriage had broken down irretrievably.
He further noted that following Anulika’s submission that their marriage was contracted based on religious manipulation of one Pastor Emmanuel Apata, the union could not be allowed to continue.
“It is clear that the centre can no longer hold.
“This court will do a great service by severing this union and allowing them to be alive, not doing so, one of them would become history.
“This court must not condone irrationality. The marriage has broken down irretrievably and hereby stands dissolved,” he said.
He ordered Anulika to return the N10, 000 dowry paid, through the court and revert to her maiden or any other name she wished.
The senior magistrate also granted Anulika the custody of their two children till they clock 18 years and gave Benjamin the freedom to visit them.
He ordered the man to pay N50, 000 to Anulika for severing their union, N30, 000 for her property and N60, 000 monthly for the children’s upkeep.
Olewengwa enjoined them not to constitute threat to each other, adding that they were free to remarry.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the respondent, earlier said that her husband threw her out of their matrimonial home to enable him continue committing sodomy with his friend.
Anulika said that her husband’s act of adultery, practice of sodomy with anothe man and his wickedness, led him to seek divorce.
She said she met Benjamin for the first time in April 2009 at a certain church in Enugu and through the “false prophesy” of a certain one pastor, the marriage between them was contracted.
She, however, opposed Benjamin’s petition asking the court to dissolve their marriage, adding that their marriage had not broken down irretrievably as her husband claimed.
“Our marriage has not broken down irretrievably because I have never at anytime had any boyfriend. I have never committed adultery but has maintained a high level of morality, integrity and holiness.
“I still love him despite his wicked acts towards me and have never reciprocated his cruelty.
“It was my husband who has committed adultery with his former concubine, Miss Stella.
“He is also reasonably suspected of engaging in sodomy by sleeping in our matrimonial bed with his friend, one Mr Samuel, on a regular basis, ” she told the court.
According to Anulika, on February 27, 2014 her husband drove her from their matrimonial home and forced her to relocate to her village.
Benjamin had asked the court to dissolve their marriage, alleging that Anulika’s can no longer be his wife because of her adultery and cruelty.
He further asked court to grant him custody of their two children.
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