My wife visits herbalists’

•Sometimes she says she is going for night
vigil, but when I call the pastor, he tells me
there is no vigil – Husband
•The court will give the respondent another
opportunity to appear in court before
judgment is passed – Judge

A 39- year old lawyer, Felix Kamalu has
petitioned a Lagos Customary Court sitting in
Ojo, Lagos State for the dissolution of his one-
year marriage with his wife, Stella Kamalu on
the grounds of infidelity, assault and cruelty.
Felix told the court that the marriage, which
was contracted under Customary Law on the
2nd of March, 2013 has degenerated, as the
couple has been living apart since April, 2014.
The petitioner recounted to the court how his
wife assaults him, saying, "My wife assaults
me regularly.
She goes out of the house without my consent
and sometimes without my knowledge.
Sometimes, she passes the night outside and
even visits herbalists. Sometimes she lies that
she is going for vigil, but when I call the
pastor, he tells me there is no vigil.
"If I give her money to cook, she buys food for
me from restaurants, claiming that she has
gone to church all day to pray for me. She is
not willing to submit to my authority.
She often denies me my conjugal rights.
Instead of seeking medical help for our
childlessness, she goes to native doctors."
Trouble started in the Kamalu family when the
respondent asked to manage one of the two
schools her husband has in Ajangbadi area of
Lagos State.
According to the petitioner, he discovered that
his wife lied about being an NCE holder, when
she did not really have SSCE.
He said, "I told her that those working in those
schools are Masters Degree holders and that I
have to train her first. She got angry, called
me all manner of names and threatened to
walk out of the marriage."
Giving an account of what led to his wife
packing out of the house on the 21st April,
2014, Felix said, "Her father called to ask for
money. He normally collects money from me
through my wife.
So on this day, I told her I didn't have any
money to give her. I spent over N1.2 million
on our traditional wedding, which I am yet to
recover from.
I just finished my MBA at the Lagos State
University. She accused me of not taking care
of her parents and she moved her things to the
house of our church reverend, Rev. J.A Ikbe of
the Assemblies of God church.
"I pleaded with her to come back and I
expected the pastor to call us for
reconciliation. One week after she left the
house, I called her father to inform him of the
developments, but he replied me through a
text message that I am no longer his in-law."
The respondent, Stella Kamalu was not in
court to give her own version of the issues.
Meanwhile, the Court President, Mr. H.A.B
Oyekan, ruled that the court will give the
respondent another opportunity to appear in
court before judgment can be passed. The
matter was adjourned to the 30th of
September, 2014.

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