… Wife to take possession of 3-bedroom flat, car, two plots of land
By Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti
The ownership of a 3-bedroom apartment, a Toyota Camry car and two plots of land is at the centre of a divorce suit between a pastor, Anthony Olamoyegun and his estranged wife, Deaconess Adebimpe Olamoyegun.
Already, a Grade B Customary Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State, on Wednesday had dissolved a three-year-old marriage between Olamoyegun, and his wife, who accused the pastor of threats to her life and lack of proper care for the family.
But the cleric, who until the incident was a pastor in one of the branches of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Ado-Ekiti, denied the allegations brought against him.
Adebimpe, 30, a trader and resident of Idolofin Street, Ado-Ekiti, had approached the court through her counsel, Iyanu Olumuagun, seeking the dissolution of her marriage due to alleged provocation, threats to her life, and lack of care for the family.
Other allegations leveled against the cleric by his estranged wife included disrespect towards her and her family, lack of proper care, loss of love, and constant threats to her life.
The petitioner, who was in court in company with her friends and family members, including her aged mother, prayed the court to grant her request.
She also alleged that her husband had, on several occasions, threatened to kill her, leaving her unable to live in peace either at home or in the church.
The 30-year-old mother of two, through her counsel, expressed her intention to call witnesses to support her claims.
She argued that dissolving the marriage would allow her to focus on her life.
Her counsel also claimed that a three-bedroom flat located behind the School of the Handicapped in Ado-Ekiti, which was built by the petitioner, as well as a Toyota Camry allegedly seized by the cleric, should be returned to her.
Additionally, he argued that two plots of land in Idolofin Community belonged to the petitioner and that the family receipt should be reissued in her name.
In his defence, the 33-year-old pastor urged the court to dismiss the allegations.
He stated that he did not want to divorce his wife for the sake of their two children, products of the four-year-old union.
He alleged that his wife’s inability to manage the household and her reckless lifestyle had negatively impacted his ministry, prompting his decision to relocate from Ado-Ekiti to Ikorodu, Lagos State, in search of greener pastures.
The pastor denied that his wife owned a car, claiming he had acquired the Toyota Camry during their cohabitation.
He also refuted claims that the petitioner solely bore the financial burden of their children’s education and welfare.
After hearing from both parties, the President of the Court, Mr Johnson Oyedele, expressed concern about the children, aged four and two.
He emphasised that the proper upbringing of the children remained the joint responsibility of both parents.
There was however a mild drama in the courtroom when the cleric, under oath, was asked about the custody of the children and his financial contribution towards their upkeep.
He stated that he could only afford ₦1,500 monthly.
But the president of the court dismissed this claim as evidence of the respondent’s irresponsibility.
The court subsequently dissolved the marriage.
Since no dowry had been paid, the president ruled that both parties were free to remarry.
He also directed that the petitioner be allowed to retrieve her belongings from the respondent’s house.
The court also ruled that the children, aged four and two, be placed in the custody of their mother, while the respondent was granted visitation rights.
According to the court, the Toyota Camry in the respondent’s possession should be returned to the petitioner, while the three-bedroom flat behind the School of the Handicapped was declared the petitioner’s property.
The two plots of land in Idolofin community were also awarded to the petitioner, with an order for the issuance of a family receipt in her name.
“The respondent is hereby restrained from visiting the petitioner’s house after retrieving his belongings,” the court president ruled.
He advised any dissatisfied party to file an appeal within seven days.