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A Grade A Customary Court, sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, has dissolved the union between a couple, Abimbola and Ayodeji Adeniyi on the account of lack of care and physical abuse by the latter.
In addition to this was the latter’s disrespect of the former’s parents.
Abimbola, who dragged her husband, Ayodeji to court, explained that he was brutal and always left her feeling sour after beating her because of the wounds he left on her.
The plaintiff added that the defendant hardly gave her and their children feeding allowance, thus leaving them to starve.
According to her, she ran for her dear life after the defendant threatened to beat her blue and black during their second child’s naming ceremony and that she had not returned home since then.
Abimbola, in addition to divorce, pleaded for their children’s custody and sought an order restricting her husband from threatening and interfering with her private life.
Ayodeji denied all the allegations and pleaded against the dissolution of their wedlock.
The defendant also pleaded against the plaintiff having custody of their children.
He explained that Abimbola was in the habit of reporting him to her parents any time they had a misunderstanding, saying “the greatest mistake I have ever made in life was that of getting married to my husband.”
“He was brutish and callous and refused that I enjoyed our wedlock for the five years we were together. We had Nikkai, and he paid my bride price.
“My husband was a brute. He started beating me about six months after we got married. He would beat me and refuse to release me until I hurt.
“I was always going back to my parents’ house because I could no longer bear with his maltreatment of me.
“He and his family members were in the habit of coming to beg me and my parents with the promise that he would change, but he rather became worse.
“He stopped giving me and our children feeding allowance and cared less how we survived.
“My parents, upon seeing how he maltreated me and our children called him to order.
“My husband, rather than taking a new leaf, became arrogant and insulted my parents. He rained curses on me and my family in the presence of my parents.
“I finally left his home after he raised an argument against me in the presence of our guests and threatened to beat me to a pulp during our second child’s naming ceremony.
“I left with my parents immediately we were through with the ceremony after he had succeeded in embarrassing and humiliating me.
“My husband, instead of apologies for his misbehaviour, rained curses on me and my grandmother on the phone.
“My lord, I have not regretted it for once that I walked out of our marriage. I have been living a peaceful life thereafter and desire that this continues.
“I, therefore beseech this honourable court to end our marriage and grant me custody of our two children.
“I pray in addition that my husband be made responsible for their upkeep, giving feeding, education and health care a priority.
“I further request an order restricting my husband from threatening and interfering with my private life.”
Ayodeji in response said: “My lord, I disagree that our marriage be dissolved because of our children’s welfare. They will become victims of a broken home.
“It is true that we sometimes had misunderstandings which we could iron out between us. But she preferred to report all our differences to her parents. She would report to a third party who always encouraged her to leave me.
“I got angry and threatened to beat her during our child’s naming ceremony because she was wasteful. She wasted the food I provided for the event through my hard-earned money.
“Many attempts are being made to reconcile us, but I was surprised she came to court.”
The court president, Mrs. S.M Akintayo, in her ruling, dissolved their wedlock.
Akintayo handed the children over to the plaintiff and ordered the defendant to be responsible for their upkeep, giving adequate attention to their feeding, education, and health care.
She also restrained the defendant from threatening and interfering with the plaintiff’s private life.
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