A woman, Faithful, has asked the Grade A Customary Court sitting in Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, to dissolve her 25-year-old marriage to her husband, Felix, whom she accused of abandoning her and their three children.
Faithful told the court that Felix left the family home about five years ago and had since failed to return, leaving her to shoulder the responsibility of catering for their children.
She alleged that repeated efforts by her parents and members of her husband’s family to persuade him to return home yielded no result.
According to her, the financial burden of providing food, education and other necessities for the children had become overwhelming since her husband’s departure.
The petitioner said she had endured the situation for years but had now decided to end the marriage and move on with her life.
She told the court that she married Felix on October 5, 1996, and that their union produced three children.
Faithful said the couple initially lived together as a family, despite the usual challenges associated with marriage, until her husband suddenly disappeared from their home.
She said efforts to establish his whereabouts showed that he was alive but had deliberately chosen not to return to the family.
“My husband left home and never returned. I made several efforts, together with my parents, to persuade him to come back, but all the appeals failed.
“I also contacted his family, but nothing was done to resolve the situation. I eventually had to accept the reality and take full responsibility for the children.
“For the past five years, I have waited for him to return, but I can no longer continue waiting. I want the court to bring the marriage to an end,” she told the court.
Faithful also appealed to the court to grant her custody of the children and direct her husband to contribute to their upkeep, particularly their feeding, education and healthcare.
Felix was not present in court despite being served with several notices to appear.
In her judgment, the President of the court, Mrs S.M. Akintayo, held that the court had jurisdiction over the customary marriage contracted by the couple.
Akintayo noted that Faithful had clearly demonstrated that she was no longer interested in continuing the marriage after her husband’s prolonged absence.
The judge consequently dissolved the customary marriage contracted by the couple on October 5, 1996, declaring that they were no longer husband and wife.
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