The president, Oja Oba/ Mapo Court C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, Chief Ademola Odunade, has pronounced the union between a couple, Oriyomi Aluko and Idowu Aluko terminated.
Oriyomi had approached the court, praying that it dissolved her 17-year-old marriage to her husband, Idowu Aluko on the accounts of irresponsibility, theft and battery.
Oriyomi explained to the court that Idowu neglected her and the three children in their marriage.
According to her, she worked hard to keep her marriage but all her efforts proved abortive. The plaintiff added that she also worked round the clock to ensure there was food on the table, but that her husband never appreciated all she did.
Oriyomi stated that rather than supporting the home financially, her husband took to stealing her money.
The plaintiff told the court that her husband exposed her to too much stress and that she could not take it any longer. She, therefore, appealed to the court to end their relationship so that she could move on with her life.
Idowu giving his evidence admitted to stealing Oriyomi’s money but accused her of waywardness.
The defendant refused that their marriage be dissolved.
“My lord, my husband is an ingrate and a failure. I added his responsibility in the home to mine so that our children would not suffer but all he does is to beat me.
“Idowu doesn’t know what efforts I make to ensure there is food in the home. He’s not interested in our children’s education. I, therefore, took up the responsibility of enrolling them in school and paying their school fees.
“My husband is a rogue. He’s in the habit of stealing my money.
“Idowu is in the habit of going through my purse any time I’m not in the room and would steal meaningful amount from it.
“He recently stole the sum of N60, 000 I kept in my wardrobe which was meant for my business.
“Idowu initially denied stealing the money but later admitted to the offence after I had put much pressure on him. He confessed that he gave his friend the money to keep.
“My husband’s friend spent the money and was only able to make a refund of a little fraction of the whole sum.
“I stood as his guarantor when he wanted to buy a vehicle but he defaulted in the payment. I had no choice but to cough out the sum he owed.
“Idowu is also a brute. He eats the food I prepare through my sweat, steals my money and still beats me. He would beat me till I almost fainted.
“I’m tired of our marriage and I plead with this honourable court to end it so that I can move on with life.
“I also earnestly pray that our children be put in my care,” she concluded.
Oriyomi is wayward and has no respect for me, but I pray the court not to end our relationship because of our children.
“My wife is in the habit of returning home late every night and would always give flimsy excuses. I have shown my displeasure towards this practice but she has refused to change.
“Oriyomi is wayward. She has strings of lovers and I happen to know one of them who happened to be an old friend of mine. She kept denying having anything to do with him,” he stated.
He added that: “My lord, I have sworn that I would not lie. It is true I sometimes stole from my wife’s purse but I never stole more than N200 when I’m hungry and needed to buy food.
“The devil pushed me to steal her N60,000 which I kept with my friend who unfortunately spent it. I stayed on his neck before he paid half of it.
“Oriyomi stood as my guarantor when I bought my vehicle, but she lied that I failed in the agreement of payment. I paid all I owed to the last kobo,” the defendant stated.