1st June, 2011
Divorce seeking wife of a clearing and forwarding agent, Mrs.Yemi Akano, has accused the President of the Agege Customary Court of favouritism.
Mrs. Akano made the accusation during the hearing of the petition she filed for the dissolution of her marraige to her husband, Mr. Dele Ogunsanya.
The president of the court, Mr. E. B. Shokunle had asked her husband to respond to the allegations of irresponsibility and lack of love levelled against him by his estranged wife.
Instead of allowing the defendant to state his side of the case, she started crying and accused the president of the court of being biased. She accused the judge of not giving her chance to talk and that if the judge wants explanation on the petition, he should have called her because she brought the case to court.
In his response, the court’s president warned her to be mindful of her words, adding that her statement can be used against her. He also threatened to charge her with contempt if she refuses to watch her utterances in court.
In her petition, she accused her husband of not taking care of her and her eight-year old child.
But her husband denied her, saying she was not his wife. He also denied not taking care of the child she had for him. “I pay the school fees but I don’t give her feeding allowance,†he clarified.
He brought out the receipts of past school fees he paid which the court’s president checked. When asked why he did not pay the second and third term fees, he blamed the petitioner for this, stressing that she was fond of embarassing him over the issue. He promised to pay the fees.
The court’s president, however, concluded that a responsible father should be able to take care of his child, pay his school fees and even buy clothes. “If he has two cars, one can be used to pick the child from school,†he added.
He warned both parties to keep the peace and adjourned the matter for ruling.
—Oghenetega Eriomala