Court dissolves marriage over change of Church

A Yaba Customary Court on Thursday dissolved a seven-year-old marriage between one Okechukwu Ikechukwu and his wife, Nkechi, for alleged change of Church, threats to life and irreconcilable differences.

The President of the Church, Chief Rahim Dawodu, in his judgment, dissolved the marriage and warned them to let peace reign.

Dawodu also advised them to go to a family court to decide for them how they would take care their only child .

He directed the petitioner to pay N3,000 to Nkechi as feeding allowance for the child every month.

``The child’s school fees and medical bills should be paid only when the child enjoys such facilities in the public sector except the petitioner chooses other method,’’ he said .

Dawodu also advised any of the parties dissatisfied with the judgment to appeal against it within 30 days.

The petitioner, Ikechukwu, had earlier urged the court to dissolve the marriage following his wife's decision to change her Church, threat to his life and lack of peace and respect

He said the marriage took a new turn in 2010 when his wife left their Church to another and demanded him to also follow her.

``Her character and attitude changed toward me, abandoned me and threatened to make life unbearable if I refuse to join her new Church," he said.

He said that in 2012, his wife had threatened to poison his food as well as denied him sex after accusing him of being unclean and a sinner .

Ikechukwu said he had to invite both families to intervene in the matter to save the marriage.

``But when I realised that their intervention is not going to work, we decided to go our separate ways,'' Okechukwu said.