He beat me, almost strangled me when he got drunk —Wife

A woman, Bunmi Ayoola has implored Oja Oba/Mapo, Court C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, to dissolve the union between her and her husband, Makinwa Ayoola.

Bunmi alleged that her husband was nonchalant about her welfare and that of their children. She added that he was in the habit of beating her after drinking himself to stupor.

“My lord, I can count on my finger tips the number of times my husband gave me and our children feeding allowance since we got married 16 years ago.  He would ask me to use my lean income to cook with a promise of paying back, but he never did.

“Any time I asked for a repay of my money he would turn it into a fight. My children and I survive each day through grace. The children and I leave home in the morning with empty stomach. I cook only once a day which is in the evening.

“Despite the fact that he leaves no money for food, he’s always the first to ask for food after I have finished cooking, Bunmi said.

“He’s not interested in our children’s education. I’ve been the one paying their school fees. I also buy their text books and exercise books. Any time the children were asked to pay for anything in school, he would ask them to come to me.

“He complains almost every day of paucity of fund, but he has money to drink liquor. He can drink a cartoon of beer at a go, while he doesn’t get satisfied until he’s drunk.

“He will stagger home singing and disturbing the whole neighbourhood. He will also turn the house upside down   and beat mercilessly if I dare complain of his foolish ways.

“My lord, there is no day he doesn’t beat me. He would have killed me if not for our neighbours who often come to my rescue. On many occasions, he will kick and punch me and has once attempted to strangle me. He hit me with sharp objects on my head twice and I ended up being admitted in the hospital.

“I have moved out of his house not less than thrice because of his beatings, but his family members were always appealing to me to persevere because of our children.

“My lord, I have come to court so that he doesn’t cut my life short suddenly, “the plaintiff stated.

‘I don’t drink, neither have I ever raised my hand to beat my wife since we got married, “the defendant told the court.

“It is true that we quarrel, but she uses this as an opportunity to go to her parents. Whenever she’s ready to come back, I take her back.

“I’m a responsible man, I feel frustrated because I don’t have money, “he said.

Giving his judgment after listening to the duo, the court president, Chief Ademola Odunade, dissolved their marriage and granted custody of their four children to the plaintiff.

The defendant was ordered to pay N10, 000 monthly through the court as their children’s feeding allowance and be responsible for their education.