Gbenga Ogunbufunmi
The Chief Medical Director of an Oil prospecting company , Chevron Nigeria Limited, Dr. Rotimi Olalekan Babalola is now in divorce mess as his wife Mrs. Adediwura Adebukola Babalola has approached the Lagos High Court for divorce.
According to court processes obtained by our correspondent in Suit No: LD/9231WD/2021, Mrs. Babalola brought the petition against her husband on the ground that he has been displaying act of intolerable cruelty and inhuman conduct towards her and the only child of the marriage.
According to the facts filed in support of the divorce petition, which constitute the grounds upon which the petition was anchored, Adediwura Alleged that her husband (Respondent) had abandoned the matrimonial home since January 1st 2021, leaving the petitioner and the only child in the matrimonial home.
The respondent has been adamant in his resistance to efforts to reconcile the two parties by their Counsel, A.O Agbola, Esq of Cheakley Chambers and Olusola Idowu (SAN) of Olusola Idowu & Co. for petitioner and Respondent respectively, Adediwura alleges.
The petitioner contended that the divorce petition became the last option for her when it was apparent that her husband was not ready for any peaceful reconciliation coupled with his alleged constant harassment, intimidation, and threat of unlawful forceful eviction from her matrimonial home.
Following the alleged constant harassment and physical assault on the petitioner by her medical doctor husband, which often left her with bruises, the petitioner said she has been traumatized and had in the past sought treatment at Chevron Clinic and has also been attended to by a psychologist at Chevron.
In addition, the petitioner contended that notwithstanding that the respondent has abandoned the matrimonial home since January 2021, the Respondent between April and July 2021, has been coming to the matrimonial home at No 8, Service Crescent Cooperative Villa, Badore Ajah, Lagos and carted away, fridges, freezer gas Cooker, Generator and Solar Panels supplying electricity to the house.
The petitioner described the conduct of the estranged husband towards her and the child of the marriage as wicked, callous, irritational and physically abusive.
Apart from seeking the dissolution of the marriage contracted at the Kosofe Local Government Marriage Registry on 9th February 2012, the petitioner is also praying the court for the custody of the only child of the marriage; an Order compelling the Respondent to return all the items carted away from the matrimonial home.
In addition, the petitioner is also praying the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Respondent from interfering with the petitioner’s possession of the matrimonial home at No 8, Service Crescent Cooperative Village, Badore Ajah, Lagos State
She is also seeking for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the husband from coming within one kilometer radius of any house or office premises that may be occupied by the her and N1,000,000 monthly maintenance among other reliefs.
Meanwhile, The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Chevron Nigeria Limited, Dr. Rotimi Olalekan Babalola was alleged to have on Saturday sent suspected soldiers to retrieve a car from his estranged wife Mrs. Adediwura Babalola.
Mrs. Babalola, who had earlier reported her husband to the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team was said to have got more than she bargained at the weekend on Saturday, when fully armed soldiers were said to have invaded her matrimonial home around 2.30p.m, putting her and her daughter under severe apprehension as they attempted to forcefully retrieve her car allegedly on the order of her husband.
Adediwura said the soldiers who did not mince words on their mission told told her that they were acting on the instructions of her husband.
However, reprieve came for Mrs Babalola and her daughter when a good Samaritan, a senior military officer got wind of the invasion of her matrimonial home and challenge the soldiers on their unlawful mission.
According to an eyewitness, the senior officer was said to have asked the soldiers, “who authorised you to be meddling in civilian’s domestic affairs?” Following the intervention of the senior military officer, the soldiers immediately vacated the scene at No 8, Service Crescent Cooperative Villa, Badore, Ajah, Lagos.
Recalled that Mrs. Babalola had earlier reported her husband’s alleged constant harassment, intimidation, assault and threat to the Lagos State Domestic and Violence Response Team which referred the matter to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ajah via a letter dated July 17th 2021, on account of threat to her life.
Checks at the Ajah Divisional Police Headquarters confirmed that the DPO has already invited both Dr and Mrs. Babalola on the matter.
The DPO, it was gathered had warned the husband to stop going to the house and allow peace to reign. As at the press time, the matter is still pending at the police station.
Dr. Babalola according to his wife’s complaints to the Lagos State Domestic and Violence Response Team was in the habit of beating her up at the slightest opportunity. Besides, since January 1st 2021, when Dr. Babalola abandoned his matrimonial home, it was alleged that he has been coming to dismantle and carting away Gas Cooker, Solar Panel, five Television Sets and other domestic utilities in the house.
