Adeola Balogun

A pastor in Lagos has pleaded with a court to dissolve his 20-year marriage after he claimed his wife had cheated.

The case was heard by a Customary Court in the Orile-Agege area of the state despite the absence of the wife.

The 44-year-old pastor accused his wife of threatening his life, stealing and adultery amongst other things.

Vanguard reports:

Pastor Olufemi Adewumi, 44, who lives at 12, Ajiboye Close, Ile-Iwe, Agbado Oke-Odo, Agege, came to the court on Dec.12, 2013, seeking the dissolution of his marriage to Fatimo, his wife.

Ruling in the case, the Court President, Mr Adegboyega Omilola, said that the marriage had broken down irreparably.

“Since the inception of the hearing, the woman failed to appear before the court; a court summon was served to her, but she failed to come.

“The court cannot continue to wait for the woman that failed to honour the court.

“So, the marriage is dissolved today. You have ceased to be husband and wife, you shall go your separate ways unmolested,” he said.

Omilola granted custody of their two children, aged 12 and 15 years, to the man.

“Take care of the children and ensure you see to their well being,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the pastor had told the court that his wife was adulterous and kept bad company.

“I caught my wife and one of her lovers in our house sometime in 2013. She was not expecting me to come home at that time, else she would not have invited her lover,” he said.

The petitioner had also told the court that his wife kept bad company and he tried in vain to keep her away from her bad friends.

He said that money also got missing in their room on some occasions and described his wife as a fetish woman who threatened his life.

“I want the dissolution of the marriage and custody of my children,” he had said.