‘My wife is a party freak, keeps late night’

“My wife has no regard for me. She is troublesome, doesn’t listen to me and fights me. I no longer have rest of mind in the home, please, separate us.”

This was the plea of Muyideen Alimi at the Ile Tuntun Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo, State.

Muyideen had brought a suit before the court seeking divorce from his wife, Comfort Alimi whom she alleged had made life unbearable for him.

“My wife is a member of executive of the union of fashion designers and this has got into her head. She now refuses to respect and listen to me and also flouts my orders.

“She has abandoned her responsibility at home. She doesn’t return from work earlier than 11:30 pm or 12:00 pm and when I complain, she turns it into a fight.

“She has stopped cooking for the family a long time ago and doesn’t care if the children are faring well.

“On days she’s not at work, rather than stay in the company of the family, she will dress up and attend a party. Many times she will not return until the following day.

“Her attitude is gradually rubbing off on the children who now misbehave and are unruly.

“I believe we can no longer stay under the same roof since she now feels too big to listen to me and obey my instructions, he told the court.

The defendant refuted all the plaintiff had said and also disagreed on his prayer of divorce.

“Our marriage started facing crisis in 2003 when my husband’s relatives accused me of being behind my husband’s problem. His fortune noose-dived when his business stopped doing well, but it was during this period my tailoring business received a boost. He therefore became envious of me.

“I was also elected a member of the executive of the union of fashion designers and  this added to the crisis at home because he was always complaining that I attend meetings and return home late.

“We moved to our new home recently which is located in a remote area. Due to its distance from my work place, I normally  return home late. I have tried many times to explain to him the ordeal I face when returning home in the night but he has failed to listen to me.

“He doesn’t care about our children’s education. Our first child is presently out of school because of his negligence. He and our children do not see eye to eye.

“My husband starts the day raining curses on me and the children, as a result, the children now run from him.

“Instead of giving the children and I food allowance, he will buy cups of gari and measure a small portion of it for them as dinner. He will then take the remaining to work and keep.

“Any time I demand for food allowance, he beats me.

“When we moved to our new house, he called me one day and told me that now that he has built a house, I can pack my things and go. I told him he was joking.

“I reported him to our community leader who spoke to him but he failed to change.

My lord, I have told him at home when I was served the summon letter that I was not giving in to divorce and I’m reiterating it before the court again. I  cherish my children. If I leave him and he marries another wife, my children  will suffer.

The court president, Chief Agbaje Olasunkanmi, after listening to both parties requested for more evidence and therefore, ordered that the duo come with their relatives and children as he adjourned the case till March 14.