I pass out blood ’cos he kicks me in the stomach anytime we fight —Woman

A fashion designer, Tawakalitu Lawal, has sued for divorce at Oja Oba/Mapo Court C Customary Court, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Tawakalitu alleged that her husband, Daudu Lawal, was a wife batterer and fond of coming home late.  Hence, she as such prayed the court to dissolve her 8-year old marriage and grant her custody of their two children.

Daudu, a civil servant, acceded to his wife’s prayer for divorce, but disagreed on the issue of the children’s  custody.

“I have spent a fortune on medical bills because my husband never ceases to beat me.

“He’s in the habit of coming home late. He doesn’t return home earlier than 12:00 a.m. and when I complain, he dealt me blows, Tawakalitu told the court.

“I believe his aim is to kill me so that he can take another wife. I say this because any time we fight, he targets my stomach. He will kick  me in the stomach and leave me writhing in pain. As a result of this, I pass out faeces and urine containing blood.

“My husband is the most unreliable and shameless human being on earth. In January this year, I gave him my customer’s cloth to help give his friend  for embroidery. He never took it there and I ended up disappointing my customer who yelled and rained abuses at me. I was really embarrassed.

“I quarreled with him on the issue that night before we went to bed. The next day, we both left home  in pursuit of the day’s business, but I was shocked at what I saw when I returned home.

“My husband had packed my belongings out of the house and left them outside. He didn’t come home that day.  I called his number but it was switched off. My children and I slept in the corridor of our house that night.

“The next morning, the children went to school while I went to shop. Before we came back, he had locked every door leading into our apartment.

“We slept in the corridor for two weeks since we didn’t have any other place to go to.

“The situation was becoming unbearable and he continued to make himself inaccessible, so I reported him to his siblings. They called and ordered him to open the door. He came home one day when I was at work to open the door, but went away with every item  that could have given us comfort, such as  mattress, fan, radio and generator, “she stated.

Dauda while giving reason for beating his wife said, “I was sleeping when my wife picked my phone around 12:00am, and called a woman’s number saved on my phone. Her noise woke me up. She was  raining curses  on a woman, accusing her of  dating me. The woman is my friend’s younger sister.

“Even though my wife looks slim and fragile, she’s very troublesome. She fights with our neighbours, landlords and those in the neighbourhood. I left home because of her troublesome nature.

“She’s also not in good terms with my relatives and friends.

“She said I’m not responsible, but she has forgotten that I bought all the items in her shop. I also provide the home with foodstuff every month, “he added.

“My lord, my mother in law is our major problem. We live in a two-room apartment and she’s fond of visiting  without my notice. My wife never for once deemed it fit to inform me her mother would be  coming to stay with us for a period of time.

“I go through hell anytime she’s around. She and her daughter connived against me. She was around at a time when my wife and I had misunderstanding and she stopped cooking for me.  Her mother, of course, supported her. They will both cook and eat while I’m left to cater for myself. My mother in law never made any attempt to settle our differences till she left.

“She came another time and accused me of making my wife who was then seven months pregnant  wash my clothes which was not true.  I washed the clothes myself while she just helped in bringing them in when they were dry.

“The last time we fought and I packed out her belongings, my mother took her in, but she later went about, accusing my mother of attempting to use her for money ritual.

“My lord, I have had enough of my wife’s unruly behaviour. I have no regrets that she’s leaving me.”

Having listened to the duo, the court president, Chief Ademola Odunade, stated that more evidence would be needed before judgment was given. As a result, the case was adjourned till June 6 while the couple was asked to come with their parents.