She doesn’t value our children’s education —Husband

A 54-year-old man, Tiamiyu Afolabi, has pleaded with a Grade ‘C’ Customary Court sitting at Inalende, Ibadan, Oyo State, to dissolve his marriage with his wife, Toyin and also recover the two children produced by the union from her.

He told the court that he married Toyin about 16 years ago but they had separated from each other for the past six years on account that his wife does not value the children’s education.

“We’ve parted for the past six years. She makes use of my two children who are 13 and eight respectively to hawk her goods at the time they are supposed to be in school. I want them to be in my custody so that I can give them the best of education, moral and health care they deserve.”

The court, however, asked the plaintiff who will take care the children should they be handed over to him as requested. He said: “My mother. She is in the court.”

The defendant, Toyin Afolabi, countered her husband, saying: “I want to divorce my husband because of his lack of care for the children. Anytime he wants to give them money, he usually gives an excuse that I will spend part of it. So, he stopped giving them. The children are useful to me for hawking waterleaf (Gbure) and pepper so I can’t hand them over to him. However, I have enrolled them in a school as against what my husband said.”

The president of the court asked the defendant whether she informed their intermediary about her husband’s actions. She said: “Yes. But it resulted into being beaten by the plaintiff.”

In order for the court to go through the evidence of both parties, the president of the court, Mr Ramoni Olafenwa, adjourned the case for judgement.