Oyo Man Seeks Divorce, Alleges Wife's Infidelity and Knife Threats After Church Dating Revelation

Gbolahan has initiated divorce proceedings against his wife, Sarah, at the Grade Customary Court in Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, after a nine-year marriage. He is seeking to dissolve their union, citing grounds of alleged infidelity, persistent disagreements, physical assault, and threats to his life.

Gbolahan specifically accused Sarah of being unfaithful, claiming she was involved in a romantic relationship with a tricycle driver, with whom she frequently exchanged affectionate messages. He further alleged that Sarah threatened him with a knife after she discovered he was dating two other women from his church.

The plaintiff described Sarah as unfriendly and contentious, stating that her constant disputes with neighbours forced the family to relocate four times within an eight-year span. He noted that Sarah's behaviour became even more hostile, troublesome, and violent following her discovery of his relationships with the two female church members.

Gbolahan further alleged that his wife regularly subjected him to insults, physical assaults, and public humiliation. He stated that the marital conflict intensified when Sarah began threatening him with a knife, which prompted him to move out of their matrimonial home last year to ensure his safety. Even after their separation, he claimed Sarah continued to verbally abuse and embarrass him whenever their paths crossed.

Expressing exhaustion from Sarah’s persistent harassment and mistreatment, Gbolahan informed the court that he was compelled to seek legal redress. Beyond dissolving their marriage, he requested custody of two of their three children, with unrestricted access to the third. He attributed their children's unkempt appearance to Sarah's alleged neglect. Furthermore, Gbolahan sought a court order to prevent Sarah from threatening him or infringing on his privacy.

In her defence, Sarah refuted all the accusations made against her. Despite this, she indicated her readiness to proceed with the divorce.

During his testimony, Gbolahan recounted: "I met my wife in 2017, and we had a customary marriage that same year, though I did not pay her bride price. Sarah became unfaithful after our marriage, engaging in a daily exchange of love messages with a tricycle driver. This led to conflicts and strained our relationship. I set her up in business twice, but her extravagant lifestyle caused both ventures to fail. My wife is hostile and frequently clashed with our neighbours, forcing us to move four times in eight years due to her troublesome nature. Her cruelty extended to me; she fought with me constantly after discovering I was dating two ladies in my church, and threatened me with a knife on multiple occasions because of it. I moved out of our home last year as my life was clearly unsafe with her. Sarah continues to harass me, humiliating and verbally abusing me in public. I am in court to end this relationship and her mistreatment. She neglects our children, which is why they always appear unkempt. I seek custody of our first two children, with her retaining the third, and an order to stop her from threatening me and invading my privacy.”

Presiding over the case, Mrs. S. M. Akintayo, the court president, adjourned proceedings to allow for the defense’s presentation.