A woman, Aishat has approached Grade A Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, praying for the dissolution of her one-year marriage to her husband, Kazeem, on account of irresponsibility, lack of care, domestic violence and abandonment.
She also requested for an order restraining her husband from threatening and interfering with her private life.
Aishat stated that Kazeem was ruthless in his behaviour and indifferent to her wellbeing.
She explained that their marriage was childless and that Kazeem therefore refused to give her feeding allowance thus starving her.
According to her, all he spent his money on was alcohol.
Aishat stated that she met the needs of the home from her meager income while she also fed her husband from it.
The plaintiff further said that the defendant was violent and always hit her with dangerous objects any time they fought.
Aishat added that he latter threw her belongings out of his house.
Kazeem did not come to court even though he was served court summonses.
Aishat in her testimony said, “My husband was mean and unfair to me throughout the short time our marriage lasted. He dealt with me ruthlessly.
“We held a traditional wedding, but he did not pay my dowry.
“He showed me no love and neither gave me attention because he believed I was barren.
“Kazeem abandoned his role in the home. He refused to give me feeding allowance and cared less if I starved.
“I took up the responsibility of running the home and even fed him from my income.
“My husband spent his money on alcohol. He could drink from dawn to dusk and would start misbehaving when he was drunk.
“He beat me on regular basis. He always went violent when we fought and would hit me with any dangerous object within his reach.
“The scars on my body tell the story of his brutality.
“He threw out my belongings the last time we fought and warned me never to return.
“My lord, I derive no joy in my marriage to my husband.
“I pray this court to rule that we are no longer husband and wife.
“I also plead that the court restrained him from threatening me or interfering with my private life.”
The court president, Mrs S.M Akintayo ruling stated that there was no marriage to be dissolved because no valid customary marriage held between both parties and no bride price was paid.
She added that the defendant’s absence in court despite being served court summonses showed he was no longer interested in the plaintiff.
Akintayo restrained the defendant from threatening or interfering with the plaintiff’s private life.
