Lagos clergyman gets divorce after accusing his wife of having flings with his bishop and deacon

LAGOS clergyman Pastor Joshua Ibeneme has successfully got a court to dissolve his 21-year marriage to his wife Uzoamaka after he accused her of being involved in adulterous relationships with two officials of his parish.

Yesterday, the Igando Customary Court in Lagos, granted the pastor his wish, dissolved the union on the grounds of adultery. Court president Akin Akinniyi, who delivered the judgment, said the petitioner was adamant in spite of the mediation by the court and family intervention.

He said: “Since the petitioner insisted on divorce after several interventions, the court is therefore left with no option but to grant him his wish and pronounce the union dissolved. The court hereby pronounces the marriage between Pastor Joshua Ibeneme and Mrs Uzoamaka Ibeneme dissolved today.

“Both of you will henceforth cease to be husband and wife, each of you should go on his or her separate ways unmolested and the court wishes both of you well in your future endeavour. Any squabble between both you from now on shall be treated as criminal and any violation of this judgment will be regarded as contempt of court and will attract imprisonment without option of fine.”

Pastor Ibeneme, 53, had approached the court to end his marriage to the woman, who he said was messing around with church members. He accused her of having affairs with at least two of his parishioners, who were church officials.

“My wife had sexual affair with two of my church members, a deacon and a bishop and both of them were telling my other members that they slept with my wife because she enticed them. Whenever I return from a trip, my last born always tells me that men came to pick and drop my wife and even God told me to divorce her or else she will destroy my ministry.

“My wife starved me of sex for more than five years as whenever I want to sleep with her, she would give one excuse or the other and in fact, she has moved out of my room to a separate room. However, she gives it to my members freely,” Pastor Ibeneme added.