A mother of four, Mrs Janet Ayoola, lost her 39-year-old marriage to her husband, Olajide Ayoola, for denying him sex for seven years.
An Igando Customary Court in Lagos on Monday granted the request of Janetโs estranged husband, Olajide, for dissolution of the marriage.
The Courtโs President, Mr Adeniyi Koledoye, said that since the petitioner insisted on divorce after several interventions, the court was left with no option than to grant him his wish.
โThe court hereby pronounces the marriage between Mr Olajide Ayoola and Mrs Janet Ayoola dissolved today. Both of you henceforth cease to be husband and wife.
โTwo of you should go on your separate ways unmolested. The court wishes both of you well in your future endeavour,โ Koledoye ruled.
He, however, ordered Olajide to pay a severance of N200, 000 to Janet for her to move on with her life.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 70-year-old pensioner had earlier approached the court to terminate his marriage, accusing his wife of starving him of sex.
โJanet who stayed under the same roof with me refused me to make love to her for good seven years. She will not even allow me to touch her, let alone sleep with her,โ the petitioner told the court.
Ayoola said that his wife wanted to terminate his life so as to inherit his property.
โShe had attacked me both physically and spiritually,โ he said.
The embittered husband said that Janet lacked care for him.
โMy wife had to employ some domestic staff who came to wash my clothes and cooked for me.
โJanet was an ungrateful woman. I had established businesses for her severally but the businesses collapsed due to her inability to manage them well.
โ My wife is a fighter; she fights me and everybody on the street,โ Ayoola said.
The petitioner said that the respondent lacked respect for him and also instigated their children against him.
He pleaded with the court to end their marriage on the ground of lack of love.
โPlease court terminate our marriage because my wife may succeed one day by killing me in my sleep,โ he begged.
The respondent denied all the allegations.
She made a fervent plea to the court not to annul their marriage, saying that she still loved her husband.
The 58-year-old businesswoman said that she did not starve her husband of sex.
โMy husband asked me to leave our room for another room, claiming I snored.
โI never made any attempt to kill my husband nor instigated any of our children against him,โ Janet said.
The mother of four said that her husband always refused her food for reason best known to him.
