I borrowed money to pay our children’s school fees but my husband sprayed it at party —Wife

•She’s trying to dent my image —Husband

Grade A Customary Court sitting in Mapo, Ibadan,  the Oyo State capital, has ruled that a couple, Atinuke and Gbade, should go their separate ways after dissolving their marriage.

Atinuke, who dragged her husband, Gbade to court, accused him of being behind their constant fight, domestic violence, and threat to her life.

Atinuke told the court that she was no longer interested in their wedlock and prayed the court to put an end to it.

She further pleaded for custody of their children and that the court should also make an order mandating her husband to be responsible for their upkeep.

Atinuke also sought an order of the court restraining Gbade from threatening her anywhere and interfering with her private life.

Gbade, in his testimony before the court, denied the allegations brought against him by his enstranged wife.

He testified that although he and Atinuke do have differences, but that they settle such differences amicably.

Atinuke, in her evidence, said: “I never enjoyed our marriage for a second because my husband is a brute, and always sought every opportunity to beat and hurt me.

“I bore the brunt of running the home because my husband hardly contributed towards this core responsibility.

“I took a loan from a microfinance bank on his behalf with the agreement that he would pay me back, but he derailed. I ended up paying the debt.

“I once borrowed money and gave him to pay our children’s school fees, but my husband, to my surprise, lavished it at a party. He sprayed the musician all the money.

“We fought about over this. He beat me blue-black and sent me packing afterwards. I left our home with our children, and they have been in my custody since then.

“My husband never deemed it fit to send money for their upkeep. I have been the one taking care of their feeding, clothing, and I am also training them in school single-handedly.

“He took to complaining that I denied him access to our children and went to their school to fight with their teachers.

“He destroyed some things in the school while fighting.

“The proprietor, angry and disappointed in him, stopped our children from attending her school. His attitude caused the expulsion of our innocent children from their school.

“Not only that, the proprietor also demanded immediate payment of our children’s outstanding bills. The school also wrote a letter to my employers stating that I owe them a certain amount of money as outstanding fees.

“I made an agreement with our children’s former school on how to pay the outstanding fees. This amount was deducted from my salary over a period of time.

“He lured me to his new apartment, beat me, and took our children from me. I reported him at the police station, and he was invited. There, our children were collected from him and handed over to me.

“We also made an arrangement of how he would be seeing the children at weekends. He now stalks and beats me at will and on a regular basis.

“I pray that our wedlock be dissolved and our children be put in my custody. I further plead that the court mandates my husband to be responsible for their upkeep.

“I also request an order restraining him from harassing, threatening, and interfering with my private life.”

Gbade in his response said: “My wife and I did not hold any marriage ceremony, and I did not pay her bride price. We met, dated, and she moved in with me.

“It is true that we sometimes had misunderstanding and fought like any other couple. However, she lied that I am irresponsible.

“I entered into an agreement with our children’s school to pay their outstanding fees in installments, but my wife disrupted this plan in order to dent my image and soil my name.

“I am ready to give our children N30,000 monthly as their feeding allowance and I am also ready to pay their school fees.

“I pray the court to grant me access to our children, especially during the holidays.”

The court president, Mrs S.M. Akintayo, in her judgment, stated that there was no marriage to be dissolved since no wedding ceremony was held by both parties, and no dowry was paid.

According to Akintayo, both were just co-habiting.

She gave the plaintiff custody of their children and ordered the defendant to be fully responsible for their welfare, giving feeding, education and health care a priority.

Akintayo further granted the defendant access to their children whenever he wants at an arranged place and time chosen by both parents.

Finally, she gave an order restraining the defendant from harassing, threatening, and interfering with the plaintiff’s private life.

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