‘He complains he has no money, but comes home drunk’

Kafayat Alabi had dragged her husband, Kazeem, before Oja Oba/Mapo Grade C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, alleging that he was a drunk, irresponsible and was fond of beating her and their two children.

She appealed to the Customary Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, to dissolved the 10-year-0ld-union between her and Kazeem Alabi.

According to her, she has had enough of his maltreatment. She thus prayed the court to separate them so that she could move on with life.

She further prayed the court to grant her custody of their two children in order to give them proper care.

Kazeem on their first appearance  on September 4, admitted to the claim in the suit against, but the court president, Chief Ademola Odunade, adjourned the case till October 3, to give the couple the opportunity of having an out-of-court settlement.

On the adjourned date, only the plaintiff showed up in court and still insisted on divorce.

She stated thus in her testimony:

“My 10 years wedlock is filled with horror. I have never experienced a moment of joy since I got married to my husband. The only moments my heart was gladdened were the two periods I was delivered of my children.

“The greatest mistake I ever made in life was getting married to my husband. I never knew I was signing off my joy the day I moved into his house.

“By the second week of our marriage, I knew I was in for a tough time.

“My husband stopped giving me food allowance. He started giving excuses on why he couldn’t carry out his responsibility as the breadwinner.

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“Things got worse when I became pregnant with our first child. He wasn’t excited about the news of my pregnancy and showed no concern.

“I started taking out of my business capital to eat, pay for clinical examinations and purchase items for the baby. It was same for our second child.

“I have been solely responsible for the upkeep of our children.

“He complains he has no money, but he comes home drunk every day. He’s not happy until he drinks himself to stupor.

“Any time I complain of his irresponsible act, he beats me to a pulp.

“He once broke my arm when beating me and I was incapacitated for a month.

“He doesn’t spare the children also. When he’s drunk, he shouts on them and sometimes beat them.

“The children thus became scared of him and go into hiding whenever he’s around.

“My lord, there were times he left home for days and abandoned us. He always believed we would sort ourselves out.

‘I have exhausted all my capital and my business is ruined. Survival has now become a task.

“My lord, I’ve had enough of this maltreatment, I need a total break from my husband, please separate us, “the plaintiff stated.

The defendant was absent in court.

After he had listened to the plaintiff, Odunade expressed the necessity to dissolve the union due to the display of violence involved.

Giving his judgment, he declared their marriage dissolved and gave the plaintiff custody of their two children.

He ordered the defendant to pay through the court the sum of N8, 000 monthly as their children’s feeding allowance.

He was also to be responsible for their education and general welfare.