An Ibadan-based wine trader, Iyabo Sule, has asked a Grade A Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, to dissolve her marriage to her husband of three years on the grounds of alleged insensitivity and maltreatment.
Iyabo, a resident of Isale-Afa area of Ibadan, made the request during her testimony before Mrs S.M. Akintayo, President of the court.
She alleged that her husband had taken away her source of livelihood that was sustaining her and her child.
“My lord, trouble began when I told Sule to avail me the opportunity of visiting the first two children I had from my first marriage.
“He never complained when I informed him that I had two children with my first husband, but Sule started nagging each time I mentioned them in his presence.
“Recently, I took permission from Sule to visit the two children at Moniya, but he beat me black and blue when I returned.
“In fact, neighbours warned me to stay away from his home because he had vowed to kill me if he ever came across me again.
“Worse still, Sule has shut down my shop and moved away all the goods and commodities there,” Iyabo claimed.
The petitioner further stated that her husband set all her wears ablaze, violently took away her three-year-old child and embarrassed her mother publicly.
In his defence, however, Sule alleged that his wife was an adulterer, and consented to the dissolution of the marriage.
The respondent, who earns a living as a truck driver, argued that he granted his wife’s wish to visit her children, but that she refused to return home for many weeks without any explanation.
“My lord, Iyabo stayed with her children for six weeks without calling me.
“One day, people advised me to check on her at the shop, and when I went, I saw her attending to many customers.
“When Iyabo sighted me, she fled, suspecting that I had unraveled her secret.
“I decided to sit down outside the shop, and a man came to sit beside me, holding a mobile phone containing a picture of him and Iyabo hugging each other.
“The following day, I packed all her goods away because I was the one who gave her money to buy them,” Sule said.
He claimed that he raised capital of N300, 000 for his wife to start the business.
The court’s President consequently ordered the respondent to produce the child he took, as well as all the goods with him, in court.
Akintayo adjourned the suit until Feb. 8, for judgment.
