Court grants custody of children to mother, orders father to pay N100,000 monthly upkeep

An Ekiti State High Court has recently ruled in favor of Mrs. Busola Abere, granting her sole custody of her two children from her marriage to Mr. Babatunde Abere. The court dismissed the father's request for joint custody, stating that it would be impractical and unnecessary to grant such an arrangement. Justice Julius Ajibare ruled that allowing the husband shared custody would be "absurd," as the court would not be able to oversee such a situation responsibly.

The court ordered Mr. Babatunde Abere to take financial responsibility for his children's education until they complete their tertiary education in their desired fields of study. Additionally, Mrs. Abere has been mandated to pay Mr. Abere N100,000 monthly as financial support for the children, which must be deposited into a separate account designated for their benefit.

Despite the ruling, Mr. Abere retains unrestricted access to his children at all reasonable times and in public settings, as he is their biological father. Mr. Abere had initially sought a shared or joint custody arrangement in an action filed against his wife, accompanied by other desired legal remedies. In his affidavit, Mr. Abere explained that he remained with his family up until October 2025, when he was allegedly compelled to leave the marital home due to persistent conflicts, unresolved disputes, confrontations, and escalating arguments threatening violence.

Mrs. Abere's legal representative, Iyanu Olumuagun, countered her client's allegations by arguing that granting joint custody to Mr. Abere could have negative consequences on the children's mental health and education. She claimed that exposure to behaviors such as drunkenness, gambling, and straying from the right path could potentially harm the children.