During the recent hearing in court concerning actor Kalu Ikeagwu’s case with his wife as he seeks divorce, the actor clarified he never sent his wife packing as she alleged.
He gave his version of the story while testifying in court on May 30, 2022
“I got back home from a trip on August 4, 2021, to find out that my wife had left our matrimonial home with the children to an undisclosed location. 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.”
He continued: “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. To 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.”
The actor also explained why he stopped supporting he and his stepdaughter financially;
He said:
“The last time I sent money to them was in November 2021. I stopped sending money because my wife denied me being a father to my step-daughter and she also accused me of wanting to sleep with her,”
When asked why he wants custody of his stepdaughter, for whom he had originally sought revocation of guardianship, the actor claimed that he had received evidence that his divorced husband wanted to relocate the children.
“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 where 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.”
The sitting judge, Justice Christopher Balogun, had originally ordered the children to play with their father in court and the respondent to present receipts for the children’s tuition fees.
“According to the Child’s Right Act, you can not deny the children the best education even if you’re quarrelling with your wife. If I should as a judgment grant you a divorce, and if your wife is in Enugu and you stay in Lagos, why should I give the custody of a 10-year-old girl to you while her mother is alive?
The Supreme Court ruled that it is not the wealth of a father that the children of that age need, they need the care and attention of their biological mother.
The only reason the girl child should not be in the custody of the mother is if the mother is mentally derailed or the issue of infidelity is involved.
Assuming the girl starts her monthly period, you as a father do not know what to do. You will be scared of the blood. A female girl is delicate. Your own case is worse because an accusation has been levelled against you.”
The case was adjourned by the sitting judge to 23rd June.
