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In her evidence in chief before the trial judge, Justice Lateefah Okunnu, on February 4, 2020, Ajibola admitted that she had left her matrimonial home, and now co-habits with her lover, one Segun Bamidele who lives four streets away from her matrimonial home in Banana Island, Lagos.
In the amended petition she filed before the court, she stated that eight years after she got married to her husband, he changed his behaviour towards her in a manner as leading to constant intimidation, coercion, and threats, seizure and destruction of the petitioner’s personal belongings as well as emotional and physical abuse.
According to popular law report publication, The Gavel, Ajibola stated that when she could no longer cope, she left her matrimonial home in Banana Island, Lagos on January 9, 2016, after which the respondent moved her belongings to her mother’s house on the same day and forbade her from returning to the house.
She, therefore, urged the court to issue a decree of dissolution of the marriage. She further seeks an order of court to direct the respondent to pay for the educational, physical, and medical maintenance of the children, and a house in Banana Island Lagos, being the location the children are accustomed to, pursuant to section 70 of the Matrimonial Causes Act. She further wants the court to order the respondent to pay her the sum of N250 million for her maintenance pursuant to the act.
However, her husband the respondent denied the allegations made against him by his wife. He said that the petitioner first deserted her matrimonial home in January 2010 with their children because he insisted that the petitioner should perform her duties as a wife and mother, particularly as it relates to the upbringing of the children.
He denied ever been cruel to his wife who he said he married out of genuine love. Rather, he said that the petitioner’s attitude changed towards him within two weeks after their marriage and she became cruel towards him by locking him out of the matrimonial home at every flimsy excuse.
He denied ever incarcerating his wife or preventing her from meeting work obligations. He said regardless of his support, his estranged wife neglected her primary responsibilities to him and the children and continued in that manner of defiance to any advice or plea from him that she should try to create a balance in managing the home and meeting work obligations”.
He also said said that the only thing that caused a strain in their relationship was the petitioner’s refusal to fulfil her obligations as a wife and mother. And that, she moved out of the home twice in five years over the same issue.
When the matter came up on Wednesday, February 5, the respondent, led in evidence by his lawyers, said he cannot afford the N250 million his estranged wife is asking for maintenance, saying that his business has gone down.
Meanwhile, since gists about the divorce process spread into town, most public comments have not been favorable to the Commissioner. This apparently necessitated an attempt by some members of her estranged husband’s family to rise to her defence.
In a statement signed by Mr. Kolawole Ponnle, a sibling of Mr. Biodun Ponnle, Ajibola’s husband, the family frowned at attempts through articles they say are evidently sponsored by mischief makers who set out to destroy the image of the woman.
“We make clear to say the absurd narrative is a gross distortion of facts and demonstrated a lack of integrity and decency by the perpetrators,” the Ponnle family said in the statement.
According to the family, the marriage of the Commissioner to their brother, Biodun Michael Ponnle, might be undergoing some strain, they would rather find blame on breakdown in communication than agree with some people who heaped the blame on Ajibola.
Lagos State Commissioner for Establishment, Training, and Pensions, Mrs Ajibola Ponnle is currently enmeshed in a divorce before a Lagos High Court, Igbosere. In the “Petition for the Decree of Dissolution of Marriage” she filed before the court, the Lagos Commissioner seeks to divorce her husband of 22 years, CEO of defunct Origin Oil & Gas, Michael Ponnle, the son of popular businessman, Prince Tunde Ponle (Chairman of MicCom Wires & Cables). The marriage produced three children, all boys. In her evidence in chief before the trial judge, Justice Lateefah Okunnu, on February 4, 2020, Ajibola admitted that she had left her matrimonial home, and now co-habits with her lover, one Segun Bamidele who lives four streets away from her matrimonial home in Banana Island, Lagos. In the amended petition she filed before the court, she stated that eight years after she got married to her husband, he changed his behaviour towards her in a manner as leading to constant intimidation, coercion, and threats, seizure and destruction of the petitioner’s personal belongings as well as emotional and physical abuse. According to popular law report publication, The Gavel, Ajibola stated that when she could no longer cope, she left her matrimonial home in Banana Island, Lagos on January 9, 2016, after which the respondent moved her belongings to her mother’s house on the same day and forbade her from returning to the house. She, therefore, urged the court to issue a decree of dissolution of the marriage. She further seeks an order of court to direct the respondent to pay for the educational, physical, and medical maintenance of the children, and a house in Banana Island Lagos, being the location the children are accustomed to, pursuant to section 70 of the Matrimonial Causes Act. She further wants the court to order the respondent to pay her the sum of N250 million for her maintenance pursuant to the act. However, her husband the respondent denied the allegations made against him by his wife. He said that the petitioner first deserted her matrimonial home in January 2010 with their children because he insisted that the petitioner should perform her duties as a wife and mother, particularly as it relates to the upbringing of the children. He denied ever been cruel to his wife who he said he married out of genuine love. Rather, he said that the petitioner’s attitude changed towards him within two weeks after their marriage and she became cruel towards him by locking him out of the matrimonial home at every flimsy excuse. He denied ever incarcerating his wife or preventing her from meeting work obligations. He said regardless of his support, his estranged wife neglected her primary responsibilities to him and the children and continued in that manner of defiance to any advice or plea from him that she should try to create a balance in managing the home and meeting work obligations”. He also said said that the only thing that caused a strain in their relationship was the petitioner’s refusal to fulfil her obligations as a wife and mother. And that, she moved out of the home twice in five years over the same issue. When the matter came up on Wednesday, February 5, the respondent, led in evidence by his lawyers, said he cannot afford the N250 million his estranged wife is asking for maintenance, saying that his business has gone down. Meanwhile, since gists about the divorce process spread into town, most public comments have not been favorable to the Commissioner. This apparently necessitated an attempt by some members of her estranged husband’s family to rise to her defence. In a statement signed by Mr. Kolawole Ponnle, a sibling of Mr. Biodun Ponnle, Ajibola’s husband, the family frowned at attempts through articles they say are evidently sponsored by mischief makers who set out to destroy the image of the woman. “We make clear to say the absurd narrative is a gross distortion of facts and demonstrated a lack of integrity and decency by the perpetrators,” the Ponnle family said in the statement. According to the family, the marriage of the Commissioner to their brother, Biodun Michael Ponnle, might be undergoing some strain, they would rather find blame on breakdown in communication than agree with some people who heaped the blame on Ajibola.
However, her husband the respondent denied the allegations made against him by his wife. He said that the petitioner first deserted her matrimonial home in January 2010 with their children because he insisted that the petitioner should perform her duties as a wife and mother, particularly as it relates to the upbringing of the children.
He denied ever been cruel to his wife who he said he married out of genuine love. Rather, he said that the petitioner’s attitude changed towards him within two weeks after their marriage and she became cruel towards him by locking him out of the matrimonial home at every flimsy excuse.
He denied ever incarcerating his wife or preventing her from meeting work obligations. He said regardless of his support, his estranged wife neglected her primary responsibilities to him and the children and continued in that manner of defiance to any advice or plea from him that she should try to create a balance in managing the home and meeting work obligations”.
He also said said that the only thing that caused a strain in their relationship was the petitioner’s refusal to fulfil her obligations as a wife and mother. And that, she moved out of the home twice in five years over the same issue.
When the matter came up on Wednesday, February 5, the respondent, led in evidence by his lawyers, said he cannot afford the N250 million his estranged wife is asking for maintenance, saying that his business has gone down.
Meanwhile, since gists about the divorce process spread into town, most public comments have not been favorable to the Commissioner. This apparently necessitated an attempt by some members of her estranged husband’s family to rise to her defence.
In a statement signed by Mr. Kolawole Ponnle, a sibling of Mr. Biodun Ponnle, Ajibola’s husband, the family frowned at attempts through articles they say are evidently sponsored by mischief makers who set out to destroy the image of the woman.
“We make clear to say the absurd narrative is a gross distortion of facts and demonstrated a lack of integrity and decency by the perpetrators,” the Ponnle family said in the statement.
According to the family, the marriage of the Commissioner to their brother, Biodun Michael Ponnle, might be undergoing some strain, they would rather find blame on breakdown in communication than agree with some people who heaped the blame on Ajibola.