He once dealt me heavy blows that I fainted —Woman

A woman, Funmilayo Oseni, has prayed a Customary Court in Ibadan, Oyo State to end his 15-year-old  marriage  to her husband, Sikiru Oseni.

Funmilayo, a trader, alleged that her husband was in the habit of beating her any time they had disagreement.  This, she said, had made her a regular visitor to the hospital.

The defendant, Sikiru Oseni refuted all his wife had said. He also didn’t accede to his wife’s plea for divorce.

“My experience so far in our 15 years of marriage has been a harrowing one, “the plaintiff told the court.

“My husband has turned me into the drum he beats anytime he wants to exercise himself.

“He has no affection for me and I mean nothing to him. He sees me as part of the property in the house. He actually places more value on some of these  property than me.

“He is impatient and finds fault in everything I do. Every attempt to explain things to him lands me in more trouble; he comes down on me with heavy blows.

“He once beat me and I fainted. Thank God for neighbours who rushed to the scene and helped to revive me.

“On many occasions, he had dealt me severe blows, leaving me with swollen and bloodied face. This is a picture I took on one of  such occasions. (She presented the picture to the court president).

“I have spent a fortune on medical bills as a result of his beatings and this is taking its toll on my finances.

“My lord, he has been treating me this way because our marriage is yet to be blessed with a child, “she said.

“My in laws have not helped matters. Anytime I report my husband to my mother in-law and his siblings, they always take sides with him which is quite frustrating.

“My lord, I’ve had enough of my husband’s maltreatment. I can’t go on with this union any longer, please separate us.

“I pray the court not to accede to her request. My lord, if she leaves me I’m finished, “Sikiru stated.

“She has contributed a lot to my progress and has been my source of sustenance.

“She helped me in procuring my driver’s license among other things.

“It is true that we fight, but this is not peculiar to us. Every husband and wife fight at one time or the other and later make up.

“It is not true that my family takes sides with me; they have mediated in our disputes on many occasions but their efforts have often proved abortive.

“I initially reported her to her mother, but she was crossed with me and warned me never to report her to her parents again.

“The impression she gave the court about the picture is false. She hit her face on the wall when I pushed her, when she tried to stab me with a knife during a fight.

After listening to the duo, the court president, Chief  Agbaje Olasunkanmi, adjourned the case till May 23 and ordered both parties to come with their parents.