‘He prefers to drink to stupor than send our children to school’

A mother of six, Esther Owolabi,  has told an Ikole-Ekiti Customary Court, Ekiti State,  that her husband, Lukman, prefers  spending his money on alcohol and drink to stupor  rather than taking care of his family.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Esther, a restaurant operator, urged the court to dissolve her 23-year-old marriage to Lukman on account of abandonment and lack of care.

She told the court that her husband had left the care of their children to her, adding that she could no longer bear the responsibility alone.

“My husband will always complain of not having money for the upkeep of the family, but he will get drunk and  throw up anytime he has money on him.

“He will on many occasions complain of not having money for feeding and  the children’s school fees, but he will come back home drunk and even vomit in the room.

“I have been taking care of the children since we got married.

“I pay their school fees; but now that the children are getting older, their responsibilities are becoming too much to bear, “she said.

She begged the court to also restrain her husband from threatening her in the house she built.

The petitioner tendered a letter of undertaking showing that she bought the landed property herself and this was admitted as exhibit.

The respondent had claimed that he bought the land and was the rightful owner of the disputed property.

Lukman, who  claimed that he did not collect receipt when he bought the land,  also denied the  allegations that he was not taking proper  care of  his  family.

The court president, Mrs Yemisi Ojo, ordered  both parties to bring evidence of payment of  their children’s school fees and  documents  regarding the property in contention to prove their case.

She adjourned the case till April 3 for continuation of hearing.