DIVORCE CHRONILES: Ajayi VS Ajayi. 1

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I love love, I mean, what else can one love more than watching two strangers fall in love and choose to stay together for the rest of their lives? However, life do happen! I got to the court premises very early as I like to watch arrival of couples. People are at their authentic self when they think no one is watching. I like to watch their family members who have come to support them, be their witnesses or just there to give the other party good grief. There will also be family and friends trying to beg the couples to forgive, forget and reconcile, if there are no such people, better believe the relationship is beyond repair. Gathering the truth takes skills, so there are some things you need to know if you want to be a spy.

First, you must try your best to blend in, study the environment you want to infiltrate, how do they dress, talk and behave? You need to learn some basics and technical terms of the profession, know a few people in the actual profession and be ready to grease few palms especially the foot solders of the organization, the little people you would usually overlook like the cleaners, gatemen, office errand people, secretaries and personal assistants. Those people can get you anything you need to get into any organization. For me to blend into the court mix, it’s to be minimal in my dressing, nothing flashy, it pays to wear office attires and appropriate shoes, very little or no make-up at all, I added a pair of shades to look serious and I always carry a file! People will often ask me for direction, so I learnt where everything is to better fit in. Some, especially if it is their first time, will often ask for advice, who the judge is, how to address the court, what to say and not to say, how to get the best judgment, in such cases, I explore and try to get them to tell me the truth. Some, those ones that don’t listen to their lawyers will spill their gut out, of course making it look like their partner is the monster! on rare, very rare occasions, some do take blame for what has happened and how they fail the relationship.

I watched as a well-dressed woman in her fifties came down from a car, she looked elegant, and I would not have suspected her as the plaintiff, I later learnt she was Mrs. Ajayi. A young woman who was smartly dressed came down form the same car and I knew she was the lawyer. I followed her gaze as she looked to a far distance by her right and I watched her gave a short nod to a man staring at her. I learnt that was Mr. Ajayi. I let my attention move to Mr. Ajayi, he was flanked by two people, a man and a woman and the lawyer was standing in front of them addressing them. I walked towards them slowly, pretending to be seriously engrossed in the file I was holding, I pressed “play” on my recorder.

“Calm down sir, the judge won’t grant the divorce if both of you don’t agree and I’m sure the judge can reason with her.”

“I don’t know why Mama Deola is doing like this, everyone has begged her but remained adamant!” The man standing beside Mr. Ajayi said.

“Abi Broda mi! she won’t even say why she wants a divorce this late in life! That’s what I don’t understand! Who wants to marry her at this stage of life?” The other woman lamented.

“Please leave everything to me, I’m sure we will get to the bottom of everything today. They will state their reasons before the judge at least and we will take it from there.” The lawyer assured them.

“Should I try and talk some sense into her again?” Mr. Ajayi said taking a step towards his estranged wife.” They all held him back.

“There’s not much we can do now sir, we are already in court and if talk will do it, we won’t be here sir.” Said the lawyer.

“All the children except that bastard Deola have spoken to her and pleaded but she said no. What else can we say?” The woman said again as they all look towards Mrs. Ajayi who was conversing with her lawyer.

I walked away quietly and towards Mrs. Ajayi and her lawyer, still pretending to be studying the file I held. I stood within earshot but far away enough to disarm them from talking secretly.

“Ma.am, I am here to serve you and represent you but are you sure you want to do this ma? The judge will ask for your reasons, and you haven’t told me your lawyer. I mean, nobody wants this except you ma, your children called me this morning begging to talk to you ma. if we don’t give the judge the reasons you want to leave, she will just keep sending us to mediation ma, you…” the lawyer was saying when Mrs. Ajayi cut her off.

 

“Listen barrister Ada, I told you I have made up my mind, can’t we just say, ‘irreconcilable differences’ like everyone says?”

“The judge won’t buy that if your husband is against the divorce ma. I will do my best, I promise you, but it will help if we can show the court a horrible ma…” Mrs. Ajayi raised up her left hand to silent the lawyer again.

“Excuse you? I never told you he’s a horrible person! if I need to give reasons, I have just one and I will give it in court if they won’t separate us without it. I don’t want to hear anything again, please.” she said firmly walking towards the court.

“Yes ma’am!” the lawyer said walking behind her.

I now have an idea of what is going on. The husband and everyone else except Deola, one of the children does not support Mrs. Ajayi’s decision to leave the marriage, no one knows why she is leaving except her. I am now invested in the case. What happened to make this woman adamant, from what I can deduct, she looks amiable, and she and her husband didn’t have any major fight. Why is she leaving? I walked off to listen in on other conversations and take notes, but I couldn’t wait for the case to be called.

“Order!” The court officer said, and all murmuring began to quiet down.

“All rise, court in session. Honorable Judge Amaka Hussein presiding. Please be seated.” He said right after the judge took her seat; he walked towards her with a file saying;

“Your honor, this case is between Mr. Akin Ajayi and Mrs. Funmilayo Ajayi.  Mrs. Ajayi is seeking for divorce from her husband, Mr. Ajayi. He said giving her the file. The judge asked for appearance.

“Barrister Ada, for the plaintiff, your honor.” Mrs. Ajayi’s lawyer said.

“Barrister Mike for the defender, your honor.” Mr. Ajayi’s lawyer said.

“I have studied this case and quite frankly, I don’t understand why you want this divorce Mrs. Ajayi. You have not given any reason, and your husband is very against this decision. It has come to my knowledge that everyone that could have tried to mediate in this matter have done so but you have refused. Can you make it clear to this court why you want this divorce?” The judge asked and the lawyer stood up to talk but the judge said,

“I’d rather hear from Mrs. Ajayi herself.

Mrs. Ajayi stood up looking uneasy and cleared her throat and said,

“Irreconcilable differences your honor.” immediately she said it, Mr. Ajayi replied.

“I don’t…” He was cut off by the judge.

“Mr. Ajayi, it’s not time for you to talk please.” She turned and faced Mrs. Ajayi again saying,

“Mrs. Ajayi, for the court to grant your request, you need to give the court cogent reasons according to the law. I employ you to tell the court why you want to separate from your husband, or I have to send you to the reconciliation and mediation counselors to try and sort this.” The judge threatened gently and watched Mrs. Ajayi shook her head fervently. The judge turned to Mr. Ajayi who was restless in his witness box. She addressed him.

“Mr. Ajayi, what do you have to say, do you know why your wife wants to leave?”

“My lord, I think this is the work of the devil! I married my wife thirty-one years ago and if I do say so myself, it has been a peaceful marriage. We have three children: two boys and one girl. about eight months ago, our daughter, the last born got married and two weeks after, my wife moved out. She packed her belongings but left everything I bought for her, or we owned together. Your honor, this woman left everything I bought for her that has my name on it! I don’t understand. Both of our families have tried to settle this, but she won’t let go of whatever it is I have done. I love my wife so much and I don’t want a divorce. My lord, I’m sixty-five years old, where do I begin from? This woman has stood by me through thick and thin and she’s my everything, my world… I don’t want this divorce but if she at least tells me what I have done, I will appreciate it your honor.” Mr. Ajayi said looking at his wife with pleading eyes. The judge took a deep breath and turned to Mrs. Ajayi whose lips were quivering, and eyes were shining with unshed tears.

“Mrs. Ajayi, you have heard what your husband said, and I have witnesses’ testimonies here from your two sons and some family members on both sides saying how wonderful this marriage has been and they all want you together. I am a woman, and I know there are some pains we carry in our heart that other people can’t understand but if you tell the court, maybe your husband will understand, please, saying something…

Tears rolled down Mrs. Ajayi’s face as she bowed her head. The court was so silent I could hear every breath everyone took, it was like everyone held their breath hoping if we were invincible, it will help Mrs. Ajayi tell her secrets. Even the judge looked like her breath was held. it was like an eternity, but it was just a minute and finally, Mrs. Ajayi raised her heard and started talking softly.

“Your honor, first let me say this, nothing anybody says can make me stay with my husband, I made the decision to leave this marriage twenty-six years ago…” The entire court gasped for air or expressed their shock as if on que.

“Order!” The bailiff commanded and we all kept quiet.

“Please continue Mrs. Ajayi.” The judge encouraged.

…TO BE CONTINUED, TOMMORROW!

WRITTEN AND EDITED BY: OLATORERA OLOWONYO

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