A septuagenarian, Mr. Tajudeen Giwa, has asked an Ikorodu Customary Court in Lagos State to dissolve his marriage of over 40 years because his wife ignores him and denies him sex.

The petitioner is also alleging that his 63-year-old wife, Karimut, has become a threat to his life and usually incites their seven children against him.

He said: “Karimut does not care for me again; she denies me my matrimonial right to sleep with her. She gangs up with our children against me, to the extent that they threaten my life on her behalf.

“I am fed up with the marriage and I no longer love her,” the petitioner, who resides at 1, Idiorogbo Village, Itokin Road, Ikorodu, told the court.

I don’t want divorce—WIFE

In her response, Karimut, said that the allegations by her husband were false.

She said although her husband did not care well enough for her and their children, she did not want to divorce him.

Karimut told the court that the petitioner usually slept around with other women and always threatens to chase her and the children away for no good reason.

“My husband is not reasonable and is very inconsiderate,” she claimed.

The couple has seven children: four males and three females, with the oldest male child aged 39; oldest female, 36 and youngest child aged 16.

In her ruling, the President of the court, Mrs Omolara Abiola, said that the court would do everything within its power to save the marriage which is more than 40 years old.

She said: “This court is more focused on saving marriages. And it behoves it to try to secure this union than to dissolve a marriage of such age, with seven children, most of whom are above 30.”