‘For 10 yrs, my wife decided when we had sex, refused me sex after dating another man; her mum slapped me thrice’

“For about ten years, my wife dictated or decided when we were to have sex. She later stopped having sex with me. I pleaded and prostrated before her, praying that she changed her mind but she remained adamant. I later caught her with another man. She packed some of her belongings after this and moved to her mother’s place. She told our pastors in church who mediated in our matter that she was no more interested in our union. Her mother accused me of lying against  her daughter and slapped me thrice.”

“He cultivated the habit of beating me any time we had a misunderstanding. My husband slept with four of my apprentices. He beat my mother mercilessly for slapping him thrice.”

These were some of the evidence given by a couple, Abiodun and Funmito Abiodun before Ile Tuntun Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Abiodun who dragged his wife to court stated that she was troublesome, arrogant and promiscuous. The plaintiff added that she stopped having sex with him after dictating or deciding when they were to have it for almost ten years.

The plaintiff stated that attempt to reconcile him and his wife proved abortive and thus pleaded with the court to separate them and grant him custody of their three children.

Funmito did not agree to claim.

“My lord, my wife has given me unrest and pain enough. I, therefore, don’t wish to go further in our marriage,” she stated.

“She was the one dictating the time we were to have sex not caring about my sexual need. She did this for about ten years and later refused having sex with me.

“She was also constantly giving me problems in the home due to her troublesome nature. She made the home unwelcoming and life unbearable for me, and these aside, denying me sex.

“Knowing that she’s arrogant and would never say sorry even if she was wrong, I put my pride aside, went to her in the middle of the night, prostrated and pleaded with her to let peace reign in the home. I further sought that we ignite the intimacy between us again but she remained adamant and cold towards me.

“She told me I was free to take another wife while all she asked from me was to leave her alone to take care of our kids.

“I reported her to her mother who promised to talk to her. But I saw no change in her, “he added.

“My lord, I  later realised she has started dating another man whose calls she received on a regular basis. Any time he called, she would hide and receive his call. I once picked his call and rained curses on him. I later caught her red handed with this man.

“I decided to test her. I wanted to know what her reaction would be if I started dating another woman. I, therefore, decided to ‘toast’ her apprentice. I told her I didn’t mind if she told her boss (that is my wife). She refused to date me and reported me to my wife.

“My wife fought me when she heard this and I reminded her of her words.

“Gradually, she packed her belongings from my house and moved to her mother’s place.

“I was angry at the step she took but still went along with my family members to appeal to her to return home, but she refused.

“I was overwhelmed with this problem which led to my being involved in a vehicular accident which got me hospitalised for weeks. I spent N360, 000 as medical bill. My wife showed no concern throughout this period,”he stated.

Abiodun added, “My lord, I got our church informed about the crisis in our marriage since all my efforts at getting our issue resolved had failed.

“My wife and I were summoned to a meeting by the leadership of the church but she refused to honour their  invitation twice. She turned up the third time only after much pressure had been put on her.

“At the meeting,  she declared she was no more interested in our union.

“I went to my mother-in-law’s house with our children and as I was opening the gate,  my mother-in-law rushed at me and slapped me three times. I was shocked. She accused me of denting her daughter’s image before  the church leadership.

“It then dawned on me that her mother had, all this while been pretending. She had actually been in support of her daughter leaving me.

“My lord, I pray that you dissolve our union today. I’ve been through enough unrest, “he concluded.

Giving her evidence, Funmito stated that:”My lord, I don’t admit to claim. I’m not ready to divorce my husband or let another woman have him.

“My husband and I had a good a marriage; our relationship was intimate until we had a misunderstanding and we started falling apart.

“I left him because he sometimes beat me. My lord, he did a worse thing. He humiliated me by sleeping with four of my apprentices.

“He went further to lie against me before our church leaders.

“My lord, my husband beat my mother mercilessly for slapping him.

“I moved out of his house after he beat me to a pulp during an argument. It was our last child who saved me from his hands.

“I moved to my mother’s house to avoid being maimed by him, “the defendant stated.

After he had heard the evidence by both parties, the court president, Chief Olasunkanmi Agbaje stated that more evidence would be needed.

Ruling, he adjourned the case and asked both parties to come with their children and parents for judgment.