40-year-old marriage dissolved over wife's fetish behaviour

40-Yr-Old Marriage Dissolved Over Wife's Fetish Behaviour

An Igando Customary Court in Lagos on Tuesday dissolved a 40-year-old marriage between Kareem Adesina (65) and his estranged wife, Memunat, 56, over the woman’s infidelity.

The court president, Mr R.I. Adeyeri, said that all efforts to reconcile the couple had proved futile, as the petitioner insisted on the divorce.

“The court has no choice than to dissolve the union, in spite of the fact that the wife still claims she loves her husband. Both parties are no longer husband and wife, they are free to go their separate ways," he said.

The court ordered that the petitioner should allow the respondent to pack her belongings in the presence of police officers and court officials.

Adeyeri also ordered the petitioner to pay N50, 000 as rehabilitation cost for the respondent.

 The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Kareem had filed a suit on Aug. 8, 2012, seeking the dissolution of his marriage.

He said he could no longer tolerate his wife’s regular visits to witch doctors.

“My wife is very fetish and uses juju (charms). I am afraid she will harm me with her charms. I am not ready to die now; separate us before she kills me," he said.

He also told the court that Memunat had become uncontrollable.

“She goes out and returns home late, sometimes, she does not even come home,’’ Kareem said.

Above all, Kareem said he no longer loved his wife.

However, Memunat, 56, said that her husband abandoned her and their five children for another woman.

“There was strong love between us, but when my husband married another woman, things turned upside down.

“He has deserted us for the past nine years, I have been the one responsible for the upkeep of the children," she said.

The 56-year-old trader said that she used charms for prayers and not to harm the petitioner.

Memunat pleaded with the court to save the marriage, saying that she still loved her husband.  (NAN)