A 64-year-old estate agent and politician, Aderemi Fatukasi, has asked an Agege Customary Court in Lagos to dissolve his loveless marriage with his wife, Esther, alleging her talkative nature and threat to life.
The petitioner, a father of one, resides at Coker Road, in Orile-Agege area of Lagos.
He is seeking the dissolution of the nine-year-old marriage, on grounds of alleged talkative and troublesome nature of his wife, adultery and other irreconcilable differences.
Aderemi told the court that he finally moved out of his house due to all the embarrassment his wife was causing him.
The petitioner, who described his wife as being temperamental and violent, told the court that on a few occasions, he had lived out of their matrimonial home due to her incessant talks and gossips.
The petitioner claimed the wife talks a lot to the extent it affects his calibre in their neighbourhood.
“l had suffered so much embarrassment due to constant gossips.
“Whenever we have a private discussion as a couple, before l know it, l will hear what we talked about outside.
“She goes to her stepchildren’s school to gossip and embarrass me and my family.
“Our church is also not left out and this has brought so much shame and embarrassment to me as an elder in the church,’’ he said.
The petitioner said he could not bear all the embarrassment his wife had caused him and urged the court to dissolve their union.
“It is unbearable that I cannot ever withstand her presence around me.
“There was a time she came to our church to fight me and tore my clothes to shreds.
“I also heard she was having illicit sexual relationship with a teacher in my children’s school.
“It is unbearable that l cannot ever withstand her presence around me,’’ he said.
The petitioner, who insisted on the dissolution of the marriage, told the court that he needed to be alive in order to take good care of himself and his other children.
“I am no longer interested in the union; my wife talks too much, she cannot keep secrets and she is a troublemaker,’’ Aderemi said.
The respondent, however, denied ever having any sexual relationship with any other man since she met her husband.
“I still love my husband and do not want to divorce him,” she said.
Esther, 50, a fashion designer, therefore, pleaded with the court not to dissolve the marriage.
The respondent told the court that her husband did not care and did not give her necessary attention as his wife.
“Whenever l talks to him or try to advise him on a certain matter, he does not listen to me.
“I promise to change my ways and be of good conduct,’’ the respondent said.
She said that she did not want her marriage dissolved and urged the court to help them in settling the misunderstandings between herself and her husband.
The Court President, Mrs Patricia Adeyanju, told the couple to remain at peace.
She adjourned the suit until July 23 for the adoption of Alternative Dispute Resolution.(NAN)