I fed her and my step children but she moved in with another man —Man

A woman, Mariam Olaniyi, has filed a divorce suit against her husband, Sulaimon Olaniyi at the Oja Oba/ Mapo Court C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Mariam in her suit alleged that her husband was irresponsible and that he abandoned her. She added that he borrowed N75, 000 from her and refused to pay back.

The plaintiff pleaded with the court to halt their relationship and grant her custody of their only child.

She further requested that the court made him responsible for their child’s upkeep.

Sulaimon admitted to claim but refused that the plaintiff had their child.

“My lord, Sulaimon is the most irresponsible person I have ever met,” Mariam stated.

“He impregnated me a few months after we met, but immediately I informed him of the pregnancy, he stopped picking my calls.

“Sulaimon disappeared for almost three months and later surfaced again.  He explained that he had to spend his nights with his first wife because she was yet to have child. He promised our relationship would fare better after I had put to bed but the reverse was the case.

“He was always making excuses and telling lies. He neither gave me food allowance nor money for my ante natal care. My lord, it was my siblings who gave me money for the two scans I did before I finally put to bed.

“I borrowed N75,000 a day before our child’s naming ceremony to buy some necessary things for the ceremony. I took this step to save myself from embarrassment, but he pleaded that I borrow him N45, 000 out of it for a ram.

“I initially refused but later gave him this after my mother pleaded on his behalf. He promised to refund the money after the ceremony but failed. He disappeared again and hasn’t given me the money till date.

“I lost my father and I informed him. He refused to show up, neither did he contribute a dime towards his burial. I didn’t set my eyes on Sulaimon until five months after we had my father interred. My lord, he lied that he was advised by a spiritualist not to visit any home where they were mourning.

“The rent of the apartment where I was living was due and I informed him. He left me at the mercy of my landlady who embarrassed me and later threw me out.

“My lord, Sulaimon, after abandoning me took another wife and put our son in the custody of the mother of her new wife.

“I’m hale and hearty and capable of taking care of our son. I, therefore, plead with this honourable court to dissolve our wedlock and grant me custody of our only child.

“My lord, I further pray that you make him responsible for our child’s upkeep,” she stated.

Sulaimon told the court: “My lord, Marian already had two children before she got married to me. I took up the responsibility of these children in addition to the one she had for me. I enrolled them in school and paid their school fees as and when due. I was the one who paid for the common entrance examination of the eldest of her children.

“I consistently bought her bags of foodstuffs throughout the time she was pregnant and made enough money available to her.

“My lord, Mariam insisted she was having the naming ceremony of our child in her rented apartment when I arranged that she and our baby move to my place.

“It was true she borrowed money, but I was the one who paid the debt.

“My lord, Mariam refused to mention that I stood by her when her goods were seized by the Customs. I sent a meaningful amount to her to get her goods released.

“Our child had anemia and I transferred the sum of N25, 000 to her but she deposited only N10, 000 out this for his medical attention.

“My lord, Mariam spite me by packing out of my house and moving in with another man,” he concluded.

Ruling after he had heard both parties, the court president, Chief Ademola Odunade, dissolve their wedlock and granted the custody of their child to the plaintiff.

The defendant was ordered to pay the sum of N5,000 monthly through the court as his feeding allowance.

He was also asked to be in charge of his education and health care.