A Customary Court sitting in Akure, Ondo state, has dissolved a 23-year-old marriage between a Lagos-based church founder, Prophet Obayan and wife, prophetess Chibuzor Lilian Obayan, and clarified the controversy paternity of their four children.
It was gathered that the estranged wife, prophetess Chibuzor Lilian Obayan, had changed the names of the children to that of her new lover, who was a former member of the husband’s church.
Prophet Obayan who had also filed a divorce suit against his wife on the grounds that she changed his children’s surname to her lover’s name and the dissolution of his 23-year-old marriage. The wife was reported to have changed the name of the four children to the name of a former member of the husband’s church.
The petitioner told the court that he is a Yoruba man. At the same time, his wife is Igbo from Abia State alleged her of disobedience, misunderstanding, lies, manipulation, abuse, hate and rage. Hence, prayed to the court to grant him custody of the four children.
During the hearing, the petitioner called three witnesses, including himself, while the respondent and five others testified for the defense.
Meanwhile, respondent lawyer, T I Odudu said that the plaintiff lacked the five elements of customary marriage in Ibo land, which include; a treaty, concept of parental agreement, handing over of bride and payment of bride price, not in the relationship.
However, in his judgement, Magistrate Segun Stephen Rotiba, dissolved the marriage on the grounds that the parties have lost interest in the union.
Regarding custody, Magistrate Rotiba said that with regard to relief two in the petition, the Court had already given a well-considered ruling that the children whose custody was sought are already adults.
The court held further, “In the same breathe, I find the Igbo custom exuded by the respondent and her witnesses that the children of the union can bear Mr Abua Obi as their surname, atavistic, barbaric, evil, ungodly, irrational, unsensational, crass, gross, crude, unwary, provocative, ungodly, discriminatory and insensible.
