My lord, I have done all I could to make our marriage work, but all my efforts had proved futile. My heart is heavy because of the shame and pain I daily bear since I blindly walked into this trap called marriage nine years ago. I desire a new lease of life and this is the reason I’ve come to court. I pray this day for divorce.”
These were the words of Omolara Afuye before Oja Oba/ Mapo Court C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State.
Omolara had dragged her husband, Olusegun Afuye to court on the accounts that he was irresponsible, uncaring and had neglected her and their only child.
She added that he was in the habit of borrowing money from her and failing to pay back as promised.
She thus pleaded with the court to separate them and grant her custody of their only child.
“I hear people talk about how loving and caring their husbands are to them, but to me the reverse is the case.
“I’m lucky to have a good job; I also go home at the end of the month with a reasonable income. Many consider me to be lucky but they are oblivious of the pain I daily bear all because my marriage is failing and I’m at my wits end as to what to do to stop it from crashing.
“I’m married to a man void of human feelings. He shows no affection towards me while there is no intimacy between us.
“I constantly dot on him and shower him with love, but all I receive is that cold shrug always.
“He has proved over the years to be irresponsible. He’s not interested in my welfare and that of our child and he’s likewise not bothered if we are happy or not.
“He’s a gold digger and his major plan is to siphon money from me. He only displays warmth and affection towards me when he wants to borrow money from me. He would borrow money with a promise to pay back, but he would not.
“I thought his attitude would change at the news that our baby was on the way, but he was just indifferent. He neglected me during pregnancy and didn’t give me a dime towards the preparation of our child’s coming.
“I went through labour alone. There was no word of encouragement or support from him.
“My lord, I was worst hit, when he failed to show up during our child’s christening.
“I have solely bore the responsibility of taking care of our child and I pray the court to mandate him to be responsible for his upkeep and general welfare from now on., “she told the court.
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Olusegun admitted to claim.
According to him, his wife was troublesome and had no regard for him. He added she was in the habit of humiliating him while she was also unfaithful to him.
“My wife kept her true nature from me until we got married. Immediately we got married she started rubbing shoulders with me in the home and became disrespectful to me.
“She flares up whenever we have an argument and sometimes walk out on me. She once slapped me in the public which was quite humiliating.
“She has all along been unfaithful to me. I didn’t show up at the child’s christening because I was not convinced the child was mine. What I did was to send her money for the ceremony. My family members who attended the occasion later informed me that the baby resembled me. I admitted paternity of the child after this, “he concluded.
Ruling after listening to both parties, the court president, Chief Ademola Odunade dissolved their union and awarded custody of their child to the plaintiff.
He ordered the defendant to give their child N5, 000 monthly through the court as his feeding allowance while he should also be responsible for his education and health care.