A woman, Tawakalitu Afeez, recently dragged her husband, Sikiru Afeez before Oja Oba/Mapo Court C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, seeking that it end their relationship.
Tawakalitu alleged that her husband was a difficult man to live with.
The plaintiff stated that the defendant apart from abandoning his duty in the home, was reckless and brutal in his behaviour.
Tawakalitu told the court how her husband stripped her naked, beat her blue black and pushed her into a gutter.
According to her, she lost consciousness after she was pushed into the gutter.
She added that he was a thief and that he stole N30,000 out of the 70,000 she borrowed from a micro finance bank.
Tawakalitu added that the defendant attempted to strangle her in her sleep.
The plaintiff begged the court to grant her custody of their only child, but make her husband responsible for his upkeep.
Sikiru conceded to divorce.
The defendant accused his wife of being callous and insensitive to his plight.
Sikiru explained that his first wife was struck with a strange illness and that he spent all he had on her to ensure that his wife got proper treatment at the hospital.
According to him, he approached Tawakalitu for financial help.
Shedding more light on this, he stated that the plaintiff helped him to collect loans, at four different occasions from a micro finance bank for the purpose of offsetting his first wife’s hospital bills.
The defendant stated that the plaintiff insisted on collecting forty per cent from each loan thus leaving him with an amount insufficient to carry the purpose it was meant for.
Sikiru stated that Tawakalitu expended all the money she collected from his loans on a big plasma television and other frivolities.
He stated that while he was shuttling between home and the hospital to attend to his first wife, Tawakalitu would lie on the sofa in their sitting room watching home video on her plasma television.
According to Sikiru, his first wife unfortunately died, but to his chagrin, Tawakalitu neither showed concern nor display any sorrow.
Sikiru further added that his wife was promiscuous and that she doesn’t return home from work earlier than 11:00 pm.
The defendant earnestly prayed the court to grant him custody of their child because his wife has failed in her duty towards him.
Giving her evidence Tawakalitu said, “My lord, I’m tired of my husband’s maltreatment of me.”
“Sikiru contributed nothing towards my ante natal care while I was carrying our child’s pregnancy and still refused to be responsible to his duty after I was delivered of him.”
“He insisted I should register at a mission house for ante natal care because the fee was lower than that of the hospital but I refused because I knew I would get better attention at the hospital.”
“I used my money to register at the hospital and bought all that the baby would need after delivery because he refused to give me a dime.”
“Sikiru till date has no idea how much I spent before the baby and I were discharged at the hospital, “she said.
The plaintiff added that, “Sikiru is a liar. He is also reckless and brutal in his dealings with me.”
“I borrowed N70, 000 from a micro finance bank and kept it at home. My husband stole N30, 000 out of this but denied ever touching the money.”
“My lord, my husband beats me almost every day. He will strip me naked in the presence of our neighbours and beat me to a pulp.”
“Sikiru once rained punches on me and afterward pushed me into the gutter. I fainted after this.”
“This incidence brought about a rift in our relationship. Though living under the same roof, we were relating like strangers.”
“My husband kept malice with me for three months while we stopped sharing the same room.”
“My lord, I would have been a dead person by now if my husband had succeeded with his plot to kill me.”
“My husband during one of the nights sneaked into the spare room where I slept and grabbed me by the neck. I managed to cry out to our neighbours for help as he held tight my throat with both hands.”
“My lord, I don’t trust Sikiru any longer. He is vicious and can snuff life out of me any time. Our child is still young and I don’t want him to suffer.”
“I appeal to this court to end our relationship and grant me our child’s custody but make Sikiru responsible for his upkeep, “Tawakalitu pleaded.
Sikiru responding said, “Tawakalitu is a bitch. She has no milk of compassion flowing through her.”
“My first wife was struck with a strange sickness and was being attended to at the hospital.”
“I spent all I had on me while she was on admission in the hospital, but rather than improve, her health deteriorated.”
“I, therefore, sought help from Tawakalitu. I begged her to help me take a loan from a micro finance bank at four different occasions to treat my first wife. She agreed, but insisted on taking forty percent from each loan.”
“My lord, Tawakalitu used the percentages she collected from the loans to buy a big plasma television and spent the remaining on frivolities.”
“My first wife eventually died as a result of complications with addition to paucity of fund.”
“Tawakalitu showed no concern nor displayed any sorrow while my whole family was thrown into mourning, “the defendant said.
He added that, “Tawakalitu is a slut. She has strings of lovers and is in the habit of returning home late. She doesn’t come home earlier than 11:00 pm.”
“I complain almost every day of this habit but she has remained adamant.”
“My lord, I agree that you separate us. But I entreat this court to grant me custody of our child so that I can inculcate in him the right values, “he concluded.
Ruling, the court president, Chief Ademola Odunade dissolved their union and granted the plaintiff custody of their child.
The defendant was ordered to be responsible for the upkeep of their child with utmost attention given to his education and health care.
Both were advised to maintain peace.
@ Nigerian Tribune
