An Ile-Ife Customary Court on Monday dissolved a 10-year-old marriage between Olusola Onifade and his wife Simbiatu, for alleged threat to life by the wife’s pastor
President of the court, Chief Bunmi Adegoke, in his judgement, dissolved the marriage for the safety of the husband.
Adegoke awarded the custody of the two children to the petitioner for proper care.
Onifade, a plank dealer, had urged the court to dissolve his marriage because his life was no longer safe.
The petitioner said that his wife had been snatched by a 63-year-old pastor, who was now threatening to kill him.
He also accused his wife of adultery, lack of love and care, uncooperative attitude and for not giving him peace of mind in the house.
He alleged that his wife insisted that the family must worship at a particular church in the town, and that the pastor was having an affair with her.
The petitioner said that the pastor confessed having an affair with his wife.
“God exposed them to me in dream where I saw the pastor struggling with me on a particular thing.
“When I woke up, I asked my wife, she denied having an affair with the pastor.
“I went to my pastor; he confessed that truly he is having an affair with my wife and that he cannot leave her. He appealed to me to leave her for him.
“He told me he cannot do without her and for the safety of my life with the two children, I should release her voluntarily,’’ the petitioner said.
Simbiatu admitted the claim, saying that she was no longer interested in Onifade again, but would prefer the pastor.
One of the witnesses in court, Azeez Raheem, confirmed that the respondent was his younger sister, and that the pastor was having an affair with her.
“The family had tried all we could to resolve the case, but it seems the pastor has hynotised my sister; the day we went to the church, she tore my mummy’s dress,’’ the witness said.
Elizabeth Oyeyemi, the petitioner’s sister, told the court that the respondent was befriending the pastor, and that the pastor had been threatening his brother’s life.
