‘I fed my husband, trained our children in school, all he knew to do was punching me’

A woman, Ayomide, has approached a Grade A Customary Court sitting in Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, seeking that her 20-year-old union with her husband, Ayobami, be dissolved on the grounds of lack of financial support for her and their children; hatred, hostility and abandonment.

Ayomide said that she no longer derived joy in the relationship between her and her husband because it had broken down irretrievably.

The plaintiff claimed that she laboured night and day to keep their home going, but that her husband always frustrated her efforts.

According to her, the defendant later threw her out of their home.

She therefore entreated the court to grant her custody of their children and also pleaded that her husband be made solely responsible for their children’s welfare.

Ayobami refused to come to court despite being served court summonses.

Ayomide, in her testimony, said: “My husband had always shown that he hates me. He was brutal and cruel and showed me no love or care since we got married.

“I fed the home and trained our children in school. My husband never contributed a dime towards these. All that he knew how to do was to fight and give me blows. He would throw me out of his house after he had battered me.

“He abandoned me and our children and was s never bothered  about what happened to us.

“I’m out of job at the moment, and therefore not capable of sustaining our children’s welfare.

“I pray this honourable court to enforce it that my husband take up the responsibility of our children’s welfare by giving them N30,000 for food. He should do this in addition to clothing them and training them in school.

The president of the court, Mrs S.M Akintayo, in her ruling, stated that although the couple had valid customary wedding, the plaintiff had the right to be granted the relief sought.

Akintayo therefore dissolved their union and granted the plaintiff custody of their children.

He ordered the defendant to pay the sum of N30,000 every month for their children’s feeding and be responsible for their education and health care.

She further granted the defendant access to their children.

The defendant was ordered to be in charge of their children’s upkeep.

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