Court ends 11‑year marriage due to drunkenness and irresponsibility

A Grade A Customary Court in Mapo, Ibadan, has annulled the 11‑year marriage between Olajumoke Ogunsola and her estranged husband, Femi Ogunsola, citing alleged laziness, drunkenness and irresponsibility.

In its judgment delivered on Thursday, the court president, Mrs. O.E. Owoseni, ruled that the marriage was dissolved because the petitioner no longer wished to continue the relationship.

Owoseni awarded custody of the couple’s two children, aged eight and three, to the petitioner and ordered the respondent to provide for their education, feeding and general welfare.

The court also prohibited the respondent from threatening, harassing or interfering in the petitioner’s private life.

Earlier, the petitioner, who lives in Olomi‑Olunde, told the court that her husband’s alleged laziness, drunkenness and irresponsibility had forced her to leave the marriage.

“When Ogunsola and I met in South Africa, where we were hustling, things were going well, and I later became pregnant for him,” she said. “After our wedding ceremony on Jan. 4, 2015, I soon discovered that he was a lazy man who preferred late‑night keeping, smoking and drinking alcohol. As a result of Ogunsola’s laziness, he became irresponsible not only toward me, but also to the children. This is the reason why I moved out of his house on September 21, 2021. My lord, please grant me custody of the children and let him pay N50,000 monthly feeding allowance for their monthly upkeep,” she pleaded with the court.

Ogunsola was absent from the hearing when he was called to present his defence. The court bailiff noted that several notices had been served to him, including through substituted means via WhatsApp, but he failed to appear.