I was warned her family would ruin me, man tells court

A man, Dawud Oladele, has pleaded with an Igando Customary Court in Lagos State, to end his seven-year-old marriage, citing irreconcilable differences.

Oladele had approached the court alleging that his wife, Samiat, was fetish and diabolical.

“My wife’s parents are diabolical. People warned me before I got married into the family, telling me that they would ruin me. I have experienced problems that are enough to make a grown man commit suicide.

“There was a time that my mother-in-law requested to see me. She asked me to come and live in their house in Agbado since we were experiencing accommodation problems at that time. I obliged and moved out of our apartment in Ikotun to Agbado.

“ While I was there, I started experiencing ill-health that defied medical explanation. Through all these travails, my wife did not bother to know if I survived or died. She would leave me in the house and go to parties, not even bothering about the well-being of our twin children. I had to run for my life when I couldn’t bear it anymore. I moved in with friends and started to rebuild my life back last year. All I am asking from this court is to end this marriage and grant me custody of our children because I heard that she has gotten married to another man,” he said.

The estranged wife, however, disputed the claims and allegations.

“Everything he has said here today is a lie. We had to move to my parent’s house in Agbado because the landlord kicked us out when my husband wanted to start sleeping with his daughters.

“My husband is a serial cheat. He womanises and spends all his money on women. The only good thing about him is that he cares about his children. He doesn’t joke with his children. I am in support of the dissolution of this marriage because he has tarnished the reputation of this family so much. He goes about teliing anyone who cares to listen that my mother is the brain behind all his problems. He even calls me a witch,” she said.

She also admitted that she has moved on with her life and that she is presently married to another man.

“He moved out of the house on his own volition. I cannot continue to remain married to someone who is irresponsible, so I moved on,” she said.

President of the court, Adegboyega Omilola, adjourned the matter till January 9, 2016 for judgement.