Oja Oba/Mapo Court C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, has ended the six-year-old relationship between a couple, Barakat Alabi and Aliu Alabi.
Barakat had approached the court, asking that it stoped her union with her husband. The plaintiff in her divorce suit alleged irresponsibility, troublesomeness and constant battery as the reasons for her action. She added that he regularly denied her sex.
The plaintiff further prayed the court if her prayer was answered to grant her custody of their two children.
Aliu when the claims were read to him acceded to divorce.
Ruling after he had heard both parties, the court president, Chief Ademola Odunade, ruled that their marriage was dissolved.
He granted custody of their two children to the plaintiff and mandated the defendant to be responsible for their welfare, emphasising that education and health care be given topmost priority.
Odunade further asked Aliu to give Barakat the sum of N6, 000 per month as their children’s feeding allowance. This, according to him, should be paid through the court.
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Barakat told the court that:”I have had enough of my husband’s maltreatment. I want this honourable court to rule that we go our different ways, “she said.
“My lord, Aliu’s behaviour is best described as that of a nuisance. He’s in the habit of coming home late while he sometimes doesn’t come home at all.
“My lord, I must confess that his absence from home on many occasions is a blessing to me. Our home is always turned into a battle ground whenever he’s around.
“Aliu is a brute and he’s in the habit of beating me. He beats and leaves me with wounds all over my body.
“He treats me like a part of the furniture in the house and always denies me sex.
“Our parents mediated in our differences. While my parents appealed that we allow peace to reign, his parents insisted I leave his house.
“Aliu’s parents later requested that our children spend their holiday with them and I agreed to it but they refused that they come back home. They later informed me that the children are now in their custody.
“My husband insisted I leave his house. He later moved out and abandoned me there when I refused.
“My lord, I also moved out when he refused to move back,” the defendant told the court.
Aliu giving his evidence explained that:”My lord, Barakat is arrogant. She’s lacks the quality of a virtuous woman.
“She has no regard for me and addresses me rudely all the time.
“I stopped relating with her as my wife the day it dawned on me that she loves my property and not me.
“My lord, Barakat approached me one morning demanding to know all that I had in my possession. According to her, it was necessary that she knew in case I die. I was shocked at her request.
“Barakat has regularly denied me rest of mind and this is affecting my health. I was on admission of recent because my health was deteriorating but she cared less.
“My lord, it was her mum who helped her to pack her belongings out of my house. While I waited for her to come with her parents to beg me, what she sent me was a court summon, “the defendant said.