‘She beat my mother, locked me up in the cell’

A man, Hakeen Ganiyu, had approached Ile Tuntun Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, praying that his two-year-old marriage to his wife, Joke Ganiyu, be dissolved.

Hakeem alleged that his wife was troublesome and unruly in her behaviour. He thus pleaded that the court separate him and his wife.

“I met my wife more than two years ago in the beer parlour where  she was selling beer.

“I approached her for friendship which she acceded to. We dated and our relationship grew and we ended up marrying each other.

“I told her while we were courting that she would have to stop selling beer because as a Muslim, alcoholic  drinks are  not  allowed in my house.

“She agreed and started selling shoes and bags after we got married.

“She was obedient and respectful  early in our marriage, but she suddenly changed.

“She  started flouting my orders and disobeyed me. She went back to selling beer.

“Anytime I complained about it, she would  quarrel with me and sometimes rough handled my cloth and tear it.

“I later noticed she was acting strange; I suspected she was diabolical.

“I was also warned by  elders to be careful with her. I knew she wanted to kill me so that she could  inherit my house.

“After having series of nightmares and attacks, I moved out of the house.

“My mother, on hearing what my wife was up to, challenged her. She beat my mother up and also arrested me with the police and I was locked up for days.

“We owe each other nothing since she has no child for me. I want her to return the key of my house to me and walk out of my life., “he told the court.

“He and his family members knew I was selling beer before he married me.  I left the Christian religion and started studying and learning the Koran just to please him and his family members, but they were not satisfied.

“I never fought with my husband; his mother and sister were the ones against our marriage from the outset.

“I once heard them discussing with him that he should send me packing because I’m a Christian and  I sell beer.

“I later found a letter in his pocket when washing his clothes. The letter which was written by his father stated that he should drive me away from his house. I kept it for record purpose.

“My husband later disappeared  from home. I tried all I could to reach him on phone, but couldn’t.

“My mother in-law came with some people  one day  and threw my things out of our home.

“My lord, my mind is also made up on divorce.”

Chief Agbaje Olasunkanmi, after  listening to the duo dissolved  their union  and asked the defendant to handover the key of the plaintiff’s house back to him.