Woman seeks dissolution of 24-year-old marriage over husband’s smoking, drinking

A 43-year- old housewife, Adeyinka Olaitan, has approached an Idi-Ogungun Customary Court, Agodi, in Ibadan, seeking the dissolution of her marriage to Michael Olaitan, over his addiction to cigarettes and alcohol.

Testifying before the court on Monday, Adeyinka, said her husband of 24 years, was a habitual cigarette smoker and a drunk.

She also told the court that Michael was not a responsible father, as she was left alone to shoulder the responsibility of their four children.

”My lord, our first child gained admission to a tertiary institution but my husband refused to pay the fees.

”Even the intervention of my pastor, who pleaded with him to be alive to his paternal responsibility, proved abortive as he has refused to take care of me and our kids,” Adeyinka said.

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The respondent, however, denied the allegation of addiction to smoking and alcohol.

He similarly objected to the petitioner’s application for divorce and pleaded with the court to allow him and his wife, settle the matter out of court.

However, in spite of his plea, the President of the Court, Chief Mukaila Balogun, dissolved the marriage on the ground that there was no more love between the couple.

Balogun gave custody of three of the four children of the union to the woman and made an order directing the respondent to be paying N4, 000 monthly stipends for the upkeep of the children.