Court Dissolves Pastor's 20-year-old Marriage over 'Threat to His Life'

An Orile-Agege
Customary Court in Lagos on Thursday
dissolved the 20-year-old marriage of a
pastor, who had accused his wife of
infidelity and threat to life.

Pastor Sunday Owonikoko, 51, had filed a
petition at the court on May 27, saying he
could no longer continue with his wife,
Bolajoko,47.
Ruling in the case, the Court President,
Mr. Joseph Adewusi, said that the marriage
had broken down irretrievably.
He said: "Starting from today, you cease to
be addressed as husband and wife; you
shall go your separate ways and maintain
the peace.
"The custody of the under-aged among
the children is referred to Ikeja Family
Court for final decision, but in the interim,
the children should remain with the
petitioner.
"The petitioner, Pastor Sunday Owonikoko,
should pay a compensation fee of N25,000
to the defendant and also secure
accommodation for her."
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports
that the pastor, who lives at 1 Alowole St.,
Papa Ashafa, Orile-Agege, had told the
court that his wife was still seeing her ex-
lovers.
"My wife once travelled to Ghana to meet
one of her concubines; she did family
planning without my consent and she
goes out at will.
"She was suspended from the church for
six months because she fought with all
the ministers in the church.
"She established her own church, she
fought all the members of the church, and
they all left," he said.
The father of four children, aged between
11 years and 19 years, had also told the
court that his wife threatened to destroy
him and the church.
"I want the court to dissolve the union
and grant me custody of my children," he
had said.
Bolajoko, an evangelist, had, however,
denied the allegations in her response.
She said: "My husband is adulterous; he
has slept with almost all the sisters in the
church.
"A mother of seven is presently living with
him as I speak and he has made the
woman an evangelist. "
Bolajoko told the court that her husband
had "lost his mind" since he ate vegetable
soup in the house of one of the sisters in
the church.
"I don't love him anymore, I want a
divorce, " she had said.