‘My wife beats me blue-black, please separate us before she kills me’

“When the day is over, my heart beats faster  because I  dread  going home all because there is a tigress waiting  to pounce on me.”  This is no other person than my wife.

These were the words of  Mr Timilehin Adewole before  Ojo Oba /Mapo Grade C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Timilehin had  sought for divorce from his wife, Kehinde Adewole  at the court on account of constant beating.

He, therefore, prayed the court to dissolve their marriage and  grant him  custody of their only child.

“The  greatest mistake I ever made  in life was marrying my wife, Timilehin told the court.

“While we were courting, she was as gentle as a dove and presented herself a decent lady, but changed immediately we got married.

“The first thing I noticed about her when we got married was her domineering attitude and the fact that she loves to have her way..

“Whenever we were discussing or trying to take decisions  concerning the home, she would always insist things should be done in her own  way.

“Initially, we would argue and  sometimes keep malice for days, but I learnt to  overlook things and defer  to her on  several occasions, the man  stated.

“Gradually, she  began  to take me for granted and started acting as the head of the home.

“She started giving me orders and  dictating how I  should live and spend each day.

“She tells me how much I  should leave  for food, and what time to leave home and return.

“When  my phone rings, she  will either pick my call or listen to my conversation.

“There was a day I discovered she had gone through my text messages. I challenged her and  before I knew it, she  slapped me twice.

“I went blind for a moment. We fought and she beat the hell out of me.

“Since then, she has turned me into her punching  bag.

“Since I wasn’t brought up in a home where men beat their wives,  I feel  reluctant hitting her back anytime she beats me.

“She has now capitalized on  my reluctance to retaliate. Anytime we fight, she will  lock the door, pounce on me and  hit me until she’s satisfied.

“She would sometimes  sit on me,  punch  and bite me and even hit me with dangerous objects, “he  added.

“I have gone to the office several times with swollen face or  marks on my body.

“I’m also a regular patient in the hospital where I seek medical  attention due to pains and body ache as a result of her assault.

“I  have become an object of ridicule in the neighbourhood  while my relatives  avoid my  home.

“My lord, please grant me divorce before I die, “the plaintiff stated.

The defendant  failed to appear in court  despite being  served  court notice twice. The court president, Chief  Ademola Odunade, after listening to the plaintiff,  observed that he was fed up with his marriage.

He, therefore,  ruled that the marriage be dissolved.  He awarded custody of their only child to the defendant  and ordered the plaintiff to pay N3,000  monthly as the child’s feeding allowance and be responsible for  her education and health care.