By Promise Eze
The marriage of Pastor Joshua Ajagunigbala and his wife, Rita has been dissolved in Ekiti State following allegations of his wife’s infidelity with a herbalist.
During the hearing, he asked for the marriage to be dissolved on the grounds of adultery and for custody of their children. He revealed that they had been living together for over 22 years, without the payment of a dowry.
He narrated that his wife had an illicit affair with the herbalist died on top of the respondent while having sexual intercourse in a hotel at Ikere-Ekiti on 2nd January 2023.
This led to a commotion and made thugs to destroy his house and his church at Ikere.
He lamented that her action led to his suspension by his Church authority and because of this, he is no longer interested in the union and pleaded with the Court to dissolve the union and give him custody of his children.
His wife, Mrs. Ajagunigbala, in response, admitted having sexual relationship with the late herbalist.
According to her, she built a relationship with the Herbalist because of lack of care from the petitioner. She noted that she had been the one responsible for the feeding of the children and their school fees. She claimed that she had incurred so much debt, which the late Ejiogbe helped her to offset.
Pastor Ajagunigbala, the petitioner, was directed by the Court to assume complete responsibility for the well-being and schooling of the two youngest children resulting from the union, as they are still minors.
The President of the Court, Mr. Joseph Oyedele, while declaring judgment on the matter, held that there was no legal customary marriage between the two of them, adding that they are free to go their separate ways.
“Having gone through all the oral evidence presented before this Court, it was discovered that there was no legal customary marriage between parties herein and there is no marriage available between parties to dissolve.
The Court hereby order that the parties are now free to go on their own without disturbing the peace of each other.
On the issue of the custody of the children, the Court can only order on the last two children of the marriage because they are yet to reach the age of majority. The first two children are free to decide under whose care they can live between the two parties because they are no longer minors.”
However, the Court order that the last two children of the association (Olarewaju and Victoria Ajagunigbala) are to be with the petitioner and the petitioner is to be responsible for their welfare and education,” the court ordered.
