"The former Customary Court Member abused his office by exhibiting unprofessional conduct in a customary court case involving the complainant and his wife and proceeded to snatch his wife and children from him".

The Lagos State Government has fired a customary court judge, Ishola jAdeyemi, who allegedly dissolved the marriage of a complainant, Olayemi Ayeni, and “snatched” his wife.

The matter came to the fore after a video posted initially by the Facebook page of an entertainment website, “Ogbongefriends”, in 2016, went viral.

It is, however, unclear why the video, which was posted six years ago on social media, has just gone viral.

In the viral video, Mr Ayeni narrated how the judge, Mr Adeyemi, who allegedly had an interest in his wife, Doyin Okunubi, dissolved their union and denied him access to his children.

He said trouble started in his home when his wife started disrespecting him after he invested N5 million in her business.

The complainant said his wife packed out of the house and rented an apartment close to his.

He said: “I had an issue with my wife, she moved out of the house, she rented an apnairasnt very close to my house. I put five million nairas into her business to establish a school, Greatest Kiddies Foundation. The business caused a problem in the family; I could not control her again”.

He alleged that the judge who presided over the case engineered their divorce and impregnated his wife.

“So after ten months, I took her to court, thinking that I’ll be able to resolve this matter through Alternative Dispute Resolution. The judge, Dr Ishola Azakiq Adeyeni, hurriedly dissolved my marriage and got that woman impregnated three months after the dissolution of the marriage,” he said.

Mr Ayeni, in the video, alleged that when he protested the development, the judge got him arrested by the police and was subsequently transferred to Kirikiri Prison in Lagos State.

Lamenting his ordeal, he said: “The woman she’s now nine months pregnant for that man.

What pained me was that this man denied me access to my children. I can only see the children at the school premises once; cheek. The same children now are under his custody; he took over the business I established for that woman, he denied me access to my children, he impregnated the woman now, and he still wants to send me to jail.

“I don’t want my children to live in a chaotic environment. That is why I’m saying I want my children back. I don’t care if the Lagos State Social Development can take over the responsibility of the children. I’m financially okay; I can take care of my children. I can put them in a boarding house; I want my children back. Fellow Nigerians, please assist me!” Mr Ayeni said in the viral video.

The state government, in a statement on Tuesday, said: “The former Customary Court Member abused his office by exhibiting unprofessional conduct in a customary court case involving the complainant and his wife and proceeded to snatch his wife and children from him”.

The Executive Secretary of Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, issued the statement.

She said the matter, which occurred between 2014 and 2015, was investigated by the Lagos State Judicial Service Commission.

The findings of the investigation, the state said, led to the termination of the appointment of the judge.

The statement read: “Members of the public are informed that the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency has attempted to reach out to “Ogbongefriends” through their various social media accounts. Still, unfortunately, their social media have not been active since 2018.