Man protest wife’s decision to give his children his new lover’s surname.

A middle-aged man named Ayodeji Obayan went to the Grade ‘A’ Customary Court in Oke-Eda, Akure, Ondo State on Friday to establish paternity for his four children.
The action was taken in response to his wife Lillian Obayan’s admission that she had changed the names of their children to reflect her new lover’s last name.

Obayan voiced his intense rage at the circumstance and threatened to seek legal action to protect his rights as the biological father of his children.

He claimed that after his wife changed the last names of their children without his permission, he made the decision to ask the court for help.
Obayan testified before the court that their 23-year marriage had been racked by ongoing problems and abuse.

He disclosed that Lillian moved out of their house to live with another man in 2019 after packing all her possessions.

He claimed that his estranged wife went on to change not just her name but also the surnames of their children to match the name of her new partner, which only served to exacerbate the situation.

Lilian, on the other hand, criticized Obayan as being careless, saying, “Obayan is not a good husband to me and a decent father to his children, as he doesn’t pay their school tuition.

He neglected to pay my dowry. So, I at last discovered a husband-to-be. And my new partner wants to be the father of my children rather than their negligent father.

“Our children are no longer children; they are old enough to make their own decisions. The boys, Ariyo and Aduragbemi, are 18 and 16 years old, while my first two girls, Mayomi and Damilola, are 22 and 20 years old.

The court’s president, Magistrate Olusegun Rotiba, begged with the parties to allow peace to reign between them in his judgement.

He then postponed the matter to September 28, 2023, in order to continue, adopt oral arguments, and maybe render a decision.