Wife Divorces Husband Over Childlessness

On Tuesday June 6^th, 2014, an Ake Customary Court in Abeokuta dissolved an eight-year-old marriage between Adedayo Salami and Abiola over childlessness.

But have childlessness become another ground for divorce?

The President of the court, Mr Olalekan Akande, in his Judgment, dissolved marriage, holding that the couple had agreed from home before coming to court to have their marriage dissolved.

Akande, however, held that the couple was free to remarry any person of their choice and told respondent to restrain himself from making trouble with his former wife.

Adedayo, who resides at No. 26, Car Wash, Adatan, had urged the court to dissolve her marriage to Salami because of childlessness.

“I am tired of my husband’s complain over me to give him a child. When he knows I am not God that gives children.

“We have gone for several medical checkups on the issue of getting a child but I seem not to understand, maybe we are not compatible.

“I will not like to hurt my husband by going out with another man that is why I think the best thing to do is to divorce him for peace to reign,’’ she said.

Salami, however, admitted his wife’s allegations on the dissolution.

“I am not happy with all that is happening to me and my wife. I have been facing so many challenges from my own family members.

“To give peace a chance, I accept the dissolution and wish her well,” Salami said.

When couples wake up and add childlessness to the list of grounds for divorce, what do you think will become of marriage, because they are so many couples out there grappling with childlessness and infertility issues.