Neighbours made passes at me, almost raped me ‘cos my husband abandoned me —Wife

A woman, Zainab Adewole, had  prayed for  divorce at Oja Oba/Mapo Court C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Zainab told the court she was no longer interested staying married to her husband, Seun Adewole, whom she got married to 10 years ago.

Giving her reasons for wanting a divorce, Zainab  highlighted  neglect and abandonment, and added that her husband took a second wife who he shows he loves more than her.

The plaintiff further appealed to the court to grant her custody of their two children whom she said he cares less about so that she could give them adequate care.

“I’m tired of living like a widow despite having a husband, “Zainab told the court.

“My 10-year-old marriage to my husband can best be described as hell. My husband shows me no affection and treats me like a part of the furniture in the house.

“He’s in the habit of abandoning me and our children at home for as long as three months on the pretext that he is busy on his job.

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“I lost our first child as a result of his neglect while he was not there when I had the other two. Despite informing him that I had put to bed, he refused to show up at the hospital. It was my parents who paid the medical fees before I was discharged at both times.

“It was his parents who stood for him during the naming ceremony of our children. He kept using his job as an excuse to stay away from home, “the plaintiff said.

According toher, “men in our compound and neighbourhood started making pass at me as a result of his absence from home. There was a particular young man in our compound who kept pressurising me to go out with him. I rebuffed his love advances and reported him to our landlord who initially disbelieved me until I played for him my conversation with this man which I recorded on phone.

“Our landlord rebuked the man and he stayed away from me for a while. But there came a day he broke into our apartment and almost raped me knowing that there was no one around except two children.

“I reported him to our landlord and also informed my husband, but he refused to come home and when he eventually came a month after, he took no action on the issue.

“My lord, I later learnt he had impregnated and got married to another woman in Lagos where he went to work.

“I confronted him and he apologised to me saying it was a mistake and that he had nothing to do with her again. Two years after, this same woman had a second child for him.

“His second wife started controlling him and instructing him on how to relate with me and our children. He showered love and attention on this woman while he became hostile to me and our children,” she added.

“My lord, I became pregnant with our third child and was sick. I bled and eventually lost the pregnancy. He cared less about my state. He abandoned me at home and travelled for three months. Throughout this period, he didn’t send feeding allowance nor cared to know how I was faring.

“He kept using his job as an excuse to stay away from home but has always failed to provide me and our children the necessary needs most essentially food.

“I’m the one paying our children’s school fees. I sold my generator to pay their fees for last term when I had no cash on me.

“My lord, he gradually started making an appearance at home some few weeks back. I learnt he and his second wife no more see eye to eye. The last time they had a brawl she tore his clothes into shreds and disgraced him.

“I no more have interest in our marriage. My mind is made up on divorce, please separate us,” Zainab stated.

“My lord, I don’t accede to divorce mainly because of our children.

“I’m surprised at all she said.

“Aside ensuring there is food at home, the least I give her is N5, 000 when travelling.  I likewise send money through my friend to her when they need more funds.

“I want to add that there was never a time I travelled for as long as three months. What she said was an exaggeration.

“My lord, I’m the one paying our children’s fees, she has never done that. I paid N12, 000 as their fees few weeks ago,” Oluwaseun told the court.

The court president asked the defendant the name of their children’s school and their classes, looking blank, he told the court, “I don’t know.”

Giving his judgment Odunade dissolved their union and gave custody of their two children to the plaintiff.

Oluwaseun was ordered to pay the defendant the sum of N10, 000 every month through the court as their children’s feeding allowance.

He was also mandated to be in charge of their feeding, education and health care.