Kalu Ikeagwu, the Nigerian actor, on Monday, prayed to an Ikeja high court to dissolve his six-year marriage to Ijeoma, his estranged wife.
NAN reports that in the suit marked LD/8939HD/2021, the actor is also seeking full custody of his three-year-old son and 10-year-old step-daughter.
During the day’s court session, Ikeagwu alleged that his wife deserted their matrimonial home and prevented him from gaining access to their two children.
Under cross-examination by S.I. Amedu, his wife’s counsel, the film star said Ijeoma packed out of their matrimonial and sent him a mail that she was on her way to her father’s house in Enugu.
He, however, said contrary to her claim, he saw her at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport with the children after some days.
“I got back home from a trip on Aug. 4, 2021 to find out that my wife had left our matrimonial home with the children to an undisclosed location,” he said.
“I tried to contact her when I got to the house and found it empty. I sent her an email on that same day and she replied that she had gone to her father’s house in Enugu.
“She told me she was at her father’s place in Enugu and four days later, I saw her at the airport in Lagos, heading to God knows where. In the mail she sent, she said she was In Enugu.”
Ikeagwu also dismissed claims that he sent his wife and kids out of the house and failed to provide for their upkeep.
“I did not send her out of the house. Someone has to tell me why it takes four days to get to Enugu from Lagos,” he added.
“If your say ‘you are on your way’ it means it is a continuous sentence. It was a stated fact that she was on her way.”
The actor further told the court that his wife denied him sex and also poured water on him while he was asleep.
The petitioner added that he was not aware that his wife lost a pregnancy due to a sexually transmitted infection while they were together.
“After the birth of our son, she has refused to have sex with me. I was not aware she lost the pregnancy due to an infection as I did not give her any infection,” he said.
“Till date, I have not seen any report attached to a document that she lost a baby through STD. Though I did not ask her why she lost the baby.”
On why he is seeking custody of his son and step-daughter, he said: “I want custody of the two children. The reason I sought revocation was that my wife had turned my step-daughter against me and at that point, I got a hint that she wanted to fly the children abroad.
“I have never been married to any woman before I got married to my wife. I married her after she had her daughter.
“I earlier said the issue of revocation was because I felt she wanted to use me. My Lord, look at the precedence of how I have treated the girl from the very beginning.
“I am an actor by profession and I travel to locations within and outside Nigeria in which I can spend five days to one month.
“At the moment it may be difficult but I am thinking about the future when I remarry and get a stable wife.”
Christopher Balogun, the judge, earlier ordered the children to play with their father in court. He also directed the respondent to present the receipts of the tuition fees paid for the children in court.
Balogun then adjourned the case to June 23 for the continuation of the hearing.
