My wife abandoned our 3-month-old baby at home, visited hotels with her lovers — Husband

•He dragged me to court cos’ I demanded N30,000 for our child’s monthly feeding —Wife

A man, Olayiwola, has brought a divorce suit against his wife, Arike, at Grade A Customary Court, Court 2, sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, accusing her of infidelity and lack of care for their only child.

He added that she was troublesome.

Olayiwola said that Arike was wayward and that early in their marriage, she was in the habit of going out without his consent and leaving their three-month-old baby at home.

Olayiwola explained that Arike ignored all his warnings on this practice and got worse.

The plaintiff also stated that the defendant contributed nothing towards their child’s welfare as she grew older.

Olayiwola further said that Arike was promiscuous.

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According to him, he came across on her phone, voice recordings of men inviting her to hotels.

The plaintiff added that the defendant decided to play smart by receiving calls from her lovers via her landlord’s wife’s phone.

Olayiwola stated in addition that one of her lovers rented another apartment for her after her landlord insisted she quit his house.

Olayiwola prayed the court to end their relationship and grant him custody of their child, whom his wife constantly denied him access to.

He also requested an order restraining his wife from threatening and interfering with his private life.

Arike denied all the allegations brought against her but agreed to divorce.

She stated that she moved out of her apartment to a new place because her husband stopped paying the rent.

According to the defendant, the plaintiff dragged her to court because she demanded an increase in their child’s upkeep.

Olayiwola, in his testimony, said, “I got married to my wife after impregnating her while we were dating.

“My wife started proving that she was irresponsible from the outset of our marriage.

“She was in the habit of going out without my consent and leaving our three-month-old at home.

“I showed my displeasure at this, but rather than change, she got worse.

“Our child has grown older, but my wife contributes little or nothing towards her upkeep.

“She demands for all her needs from me.

“As a loving father, I pay our daughter’s school fees as at when due, attend her school’s PTA and end of the year party, and also give attention to her medical need.

“Despite these commitments, my wife still refuses me access to our child.

“She fights me if I go to check on her and refuses that she spends her holiday with me.

“My lord, I discovered very late that I was married to a promiscuous woman.

“I insisted that my wife moved into my house, but she refused. I later discovered that she has chains of lovers, which was the reason for her  refusal.

“I stumbled on voice recordings of men inviting her to hotels when she gave me her phone for repairs.

“I confronted her with these, and she apologised for her misbehaviour, promising to change, but she went back to her vomit a few months after this.

“My wife, in a bid to play smart, gave her lovers the phone number of her landlord’s wife.

“My wife’s lovers were thus contacting her via this woman.

“Her landlord got angry when he got wind of the deal between his wife and mine and therefore sent my wife packing.

“My lord, my wife, to my chagrin, moved out of her apartment without my knowledge and settled in another rented for her by one of her lovers.

“My life is obviously not safe with my wife.

“I, therefore, pray that the court dissolved our union.

“I further entreat the court to grant me custody of our only child so that my wife would not influence her negatively.

“I request an order restricting her from threatening and interfering with my private life.”

Arike responded, “I agree to divorce, although all the accusations my husband brought against me are lies.

“I refused to move in with my husband because his first wife died in his house.

“I am not promiscuous; neither did my landlord throw me out.

“I moved into another apartment after he stopped paying my rent.

“My lord, my husband dragged me to court because I demanded that he start giving our daughter N30, 000 per month for her up instead of the N15, 000.

“It is true that my husband is committed to our child’s welfare, but I refuse that he has custody of our child because he has taken another wife.

“I would not allow another woman to take care of my child when I am still alive.”

The court president, Mrs O.E Owoseni, ruling after she had heard both parties, stated that there was no marriage to be dissolved because no customary marriage held, neither was the bride price paid.

Owoseni, although acknowledged the plaintiff’s steadfast commitment to their child stated that their child being a female and, at her tender age, was better left with the defendant.

She ordered the plaintiff to give N20, 000 monthly to the defendant for their child’s upkeep.

She further gave an order, restraining the defendant from threatening and interfering with the plaintiff’s private life.