Abigail had dragged her husband to court seeking the dissolution of their marriage on the accounts of irresponsibility, neglect and battery by the latter.
She prayed the court if her prayer was answered to grant her custody of their four children and restrain him from coming to harass or fight her at her dwelling place or workplace.
The defendant acceded to divorce.
The court president, Chief Ademola Odunade, after listening to both parties observed that there was no more love between them.
Ruling, he dissolved their marriage and granted the plaintiff custody of their children.
The defendant was mandated to be responsible for their general upkeep, feeding, schooling and healthcare inclusive.
According to the court, he was to pay N10, 000 monthly as their children’s feeding allowance.
Abigail stated before the court that: ” I have been playing the role of daddy and mummy to my children since we started having them 23 years ago, because my husband has proved to be irresponsible since we got married 24 years ago.
“My lord, my husband is alive but dead to his responsibilities as husband and father. He’s not ashamed that I’m playing his role on his behalf, neither is he bothered that our children consider him a failure and also regard him as irrelevant in the home and in their lives.
“I feed and clothe my family constantly because my husband’s song has ever been that of paucity of fund. He has become selfish and insensitive to our needs and spends his money only on himself.
“We often quarrel over our children’s welfare. He has never given a dime towards their education. I singlehandedly enrolled every one of them in school and have been responsible for their tuition fees, text books and school uniforms. I doubt if he knows what classes they are.
“Despite playing his role on his behalf, he still beats me. He will beat me and tear my clothes into shreds. Sometimes not yet satisfied, he will destroy my property, smashing some on the floor and flinging some out.
“My lord, I believe it’s high time I left him since he’s bent on ruining me.’
“She’s an ingrate and a liar, “Gbenga said while giving his evidence.
“I can write a book on all I have done for her but she still has the gut to say I do nothing in the home. I bought her a sewing machine and built her a shop yet I am irresponsible.
“My lord, I’m declaring before the court this morning that our first child is not mine. I want her to tell the court who the father is.
“My job is a quite demanding because I travel a lot. When I return I desire to eat good food but my wife will serve me moin moin (beans puddy) and eko (solid pap). I get infuriated when I see these. I have told her repeatedly that what I want are foods like pounded yam, eba and amala (yam flour), he said.
“She works in a nursery and primary school which closes for the day by 2 : 00 p.m, but she returns home around 5:30 p.m. thus abandoning her role of cooking and taking care of the home. I complained to the proprietor of the school who is a co-member of the landlord association I belong to but there has been no change.
“She took our matter to the church so that the leaders would mediate into it but I refused to give them audience because we didn’t get married in the church. I told her I would allow only our family members to interfere in our differences but she has remained adamant, “he concluded.
and then