Lawyer Battles Wife Over Children’s Custody
A Lagos lawyer, Ovie Edward Ukiri, who is also a partner in the law firm of Ajumogobia and Okeke, has filed a divorce petition against his wife of 11 years.
Although the wife, Adesimbo Rachel, is conceding that the marriage should be dissolved, both parties are contesting the custody of the two children of the marriage.
The wife also wants the court to settle her in respect of properties acquired during their marriage.
In the said divorce petition filed by Oluseyi Sowemimo (SAN) on behalf of Mr. Ovie Edward Ukiri, it is stated that the petitioner, born on 15 August, 1963, married Adesimbo Rachel born on 21 June, 1969 at the Ikoyi Marriage Registry and subsequently solemnised same at the Church of Assumption, Falomo, Lagos, on 20 May, 1999.
The marriage is blessed with two children, a girl and a boy.
In his ground for the dissolution of the marriage, the petitioner averred that the marriage has broken down irretrievably as the respondent is inpulsive, self willed, inconsiderate and given to irrational behaviour, adding that the marriage, in recent years, has become acrimonious.
Mr. Ukiri averred further that his wife of 11 years has abandoned home for several weeks on two occasions, leaving their children behind without any thought for their welfare.
He also alleged that his wife is extremely hostile to members of his family and to compound matters, she has exhibited little or no affection for his mother.
The respondent was averred to be in the habit of manipulating the children with the intention of turning them against their father.
In view of all these, the petitoner is seeking the following reliefs: The dissolution of the marriage, custody of the children with access to the respondent during weekends and holidays and other further orders.
However, in her answer, Adesimbo Rachel Ukiri, while denying some of the allegations, agreed that the court should dissolve the marraige, while she averred and emphatically denied that she is impulsive, self willed, unconsiderate and given to irrational hehaviour or has in any way hostile to her in-laws as alleged. She also denied ever manipulating the children in any manner whatsoever.
She stated why the marriage has broken down irritrievably, while describing her husband as a man of uncontrollable anger, who put in place at home and series of arbitrary rules as to how she should live in the house including not being allowed to pray, play Christian music and read the Bible.
The petitioner, she averred further, has subjected her to series of beatings and assault both at home and abroad, leading to emotional torture and trauma as well as a nightmare for their children.
According to her, on one occasion, the petitioner was arrested by London Metropolitan Police, but she refused to press for charges against him despite all pressure because of condemnation she will face back home in Nigeria and the standing of the petitioner in the society.
On another occasion, the respondent alleged, that she was sexually assaulted with such viciousness that the doctor treating her found it difficult to believe that her husband could have been the one who inflicted such damage on her.
Another cause of the marital problems, according to Mrs. Ukiri, is the forceful and coerciveness of her husband, forcing her to transfer money from their joint account to his personal account and transfer of their joint property to himself.
The respondent, while urging the court to endorse the request of the petitioner to dissolve the marriage, sought the following reliefs: an order granting her the custody of the two children with resasonable access to them by the petitioner; an order to direct the petitioner to provide decent accommodation within Ikoyi as well as pay a monthly sum of at least N400,000 for the maintenance of herself and the children until the younger child attains the age of 21 years; an order granting and settling her and the children half share in the following properties:
a. A town house duplex in Banana Island, Lagos, valued at N120 million
b. A four-bedroom detatched house in Nicon Town, Lekki, Lagos, valued at N180Â million
c. A fenced plot of land at Lekki
d. A three-bedroom flat at 66, Regents Court, St. Johns’ Wood, London, valued at 775,000 pounds
e. A luxury serviced flat at Michelagelo Towers, Johannesburg, South Africa, value at rands 4.3 million.
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