Couple part ways over mother-in-law influence, adultery

The marriage between a 33-year-old police officer, Simpa Okomayi, and his wife, Margaret, was dissolved on Wednesday at the Agege Customary Court, Lagos.

The eventual dissolution of the marriage was in response to the prayer of Mr. Okomayi, who had begged the court to dissolve his union with his wife.

Mr. Okomayi told the court that he had been married to his wife for three years and they have two children, but claimed that his wife had been unfaithful to him.

He said she committed adultery.

He said, “Whenever my wife goes out, she comes home late at night, leaving my children unkempt. It was when everything was getting out of hand that my mother had to intervene and she still does not show respect for her in-laws.

“She and her parents have denied me access to my children after she moved out of my house.”

However, Mrs. Okomayi told the court that her mother-in-law was fetish and troublesome for no reason.

She cited an instance when her mother-in-law tried to use charms on her but failed.

“My mother-in-law placed juju inside my clothes, but my house help caught her. When I told my husband about it, he insulted me and beat me up, saying that I was lying against his mother,” she said.

She added that her husband usually sought his mother’s consent before taking any step in the home.

“If I asked him for money to make my hair or to buy food for the home he would confer first with his mother, who then dictates what should done or not. I am tired them.” she lamented.

Meanwhile, in his judgement, the court president, Mr. Emmanuel Shokunle, said that the union had been broken beyond repair, asking the couple to go their separate ways. He also granted the wife the custody of the children.

He said, “The children should be brought to court every month for their father to see them. If the first child is on holiday, the child would spend equal time of her vacation with each parent.

“Also the father would be responsible for the school fees and medical bills with a sum of N10, 000 per month for their upkeep.”