She said I’m not the father of two of our children —Husband

Mr James Adedapo, a retired civil servant has got a nod for his divorce suit against his wife, Oluwatoyin, at the Grade 'C' Customary Court sitting at Mapo, in Ibadan South-East Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Adedayo prayed the court to dissolve the 34-year-old marriage between him and his wife, over promiscuity.

The plaintiff claimed that he married the defendant as a virgin with the payment of her bride price and that union was blessed with five children.

According to him, “I want this court to separate us because my wife is irresponsible and promiscuous.

“Precisely in 2005, I was at home relaxing, recently discharged from the hospital while my first son, Olukunle, came from school, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, requesting for some money he needed at school. But then I was not bouyant financially so I had to send him to my brother to collect the money. Unfortunately, my brother too was unable to provide him the money he requested for.

“That same night, my wife felt so bad because her son was unable to get the money he needed. When I was appealing to her, she told me frankly that two among the five children she had for me were not mine (Olukunle and Olaoluwa). She added that they were not my biological children and that it was high time she took the children back to their father.

“I thought she was just saying it out of annoyance, I refused to take it seriously and I didn't tell anyone about it.

“In 2007, because of my health status I decided to resign from my place of work and relocate to Ibadan, which is my place of birth.

“In 2010, while I was still on the sickbed, my wife told me she wanted to go back to Lagos. I agreed with her since that was her decision and I gave her transport fare.

“To my surprise, after she moved to Lagos, she went to one of my relatives to report me that I had sent her packing from my house.

“The whole secret was exposed when that relative of mine investigated the matter. He met one of my sisters-in-law on her way to my house to fight me over what she heard from the defendant.

“The sister-in-law told my relative that it seemed my eyes were now clear to see that I am not the biological father of my first and the fourth child. My sister-in-law added that the defendant had shown the two children their real father in Ibadan since 2003. And that was how the whole matter was exposed to the family.

“My Lord, the five children were trained by me even up to the university level. I am not even sure if I am the biological father of the remaining three children. It also came to my notice that the two children have accepted their new father as their real biological father, to the extent that one of them (Olukunle) has changed his name to the new father's name.

“Recently, I heard that Olukunle got married without my knowledge. I did not know who stood for him as father on the wedding day, while I am still alive.

“My Lord, I want the court to help me on the following: to dissolve the marriage between me and the defendant, to collect my set of computer, a radio set from Olukunle and to help me retrieve the name I gave to Olukunle on his birth because that name is our compound name.

Oluwatoyin, a trader, while responding, said she admitted the claims of the plaintiff, but did not agree with the dissolution of the marriage. The defendant said the paternity story about the two of their children was not real, adding that she said that out of annoyance due to the plaintiff's bad attitude towards her.

According to her, “I don't want the court to separate us and I have not known any other man since I married the plaintiff. I love the plaintiff with my heart.

“My Lord, the plaintiff is a man with an unforgiving heart, who doesn't trust his wife. He did not give me rest of my mind and that is why I fabricated the lies about his sons' paternity

“Although, I knew I had made mistakes about it, I still love him. He is the biological father of the five children. They belong to him. But if he insists on the dissolution of the marriage, so be it.”

In his ruling, the presiding judge, Chief Agbaje Olasunkanmi, said: “Having observed that all the defendant is saying cannot be substantiated, she cannot prove to us that the plaintiff was lying and for peace to reign, the 34-year-old marriage is hereby dissolved.”