WTF AFRICA-FATHER-IN-LAW LOCKS OUT WIFE

My Father In-Law Said I Should Not Wear Trousers, Told My Husband To Lock Me Out Of The House —Woman

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The three-year-old marriage between a couple, Ibukun Amusan, and her husband, Babatunde Amusan, has been dissolved by Ile Tuntun Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Ibukun, who brought a divorce suit against her husband, alleged that he allowed his father to dictate the tune in their home.

She added that her father in-law instructed her husband to lock the door of their apartment against her. According to her, it had been two years since she set eyes on her husband.

The plaintiff stated that she was tired of living like a widow and that she wanted to move on with her life.

Ibukun also told the court she still had her property in Babatunde’s house. She, therefore, pleaded with the court to rule that he allowed her remove all her belongings.

Babatunde who was represented by his father agreed to divorce. The defendant told the court that the plaintiff had removed all her property from his house.

“My lord, I have lived enough like a widow. My marriage to Babatunde has obviously failed. I, therefore, want to move on with life.

“When I was going into marriage with my husband, we agreed on many things among which were where we were going to settle down and time to start having our children.

“Our plan was to settle in Lagos and start having our children after I was through with my National Youth Service programme.

“My father in-law on learning of our plans vehemently stood against it and took to controlling my husband. He began to dictate to him how we were to live our lives.

“I got a job in Lagos and my husband after taking instructions from his father refused that I went. I reminded him of our agreement but he dismissed all my pleas.

“My father in-law again started complaining about my dressing. He stood against my dressing in trousers and tagged some of my outfits as indecent.

“As if that was not enough, he started inquiring from me why I was delaying in getting pregnant. I explained to him that our plan was that I should wait till I was through with my NYSC programme before we start making babies but he refused to hear of it.

“I resumed work in Lagos since I didn’t want to forfeit the opportunity of being retained by the company after my service year.

“My plan was to travel back home at weekends.

“I got back on the first weekend and discovered that the key to our apartment had been changed.

“I called my husband and he told me to go back to where I was coming from.

“I informed my parents about the development. They called him and requested that he came to see them in order that our differences could be ironed out but he refused to show up.

“They called him at three other times but he refused to pick their call.

“I called him again but he still refused to speak with me. When he finally did, he explained that it was his father who instructed him to change the lock.

“I have not set my eyes on Babatunde since then. I was told he has changed his job and relocated.

“My lord, he has refused that I remove my belongings from his house. I pray this honourable court to end our union and rule that my husband allow me to remove all my property from his house,” the plaintiff pleaded.

Elder Johnson Amusan, representing his son, Babatunde Amusan said, “My lord, I stand before the court this morning to represent my son, who is unavoidably absent.

“Babatunde has given his consent to the dissolution of his marriage to Ibukun.

“Babatunde has stated that he derived no joy in their marriage and therefore wishes not to go further in it,” he stated.

He went on, “As an elder in my church, I was happy when my son informed me of his plan to get married to the daughter of a reverend, but I was disappointed to note that Ibukun’s dressing in particular did not portray any sense of decency.

“Ibukun was fond of wearing trousers. On the day she came to remove her belongings from my son’s house, she was in shorts.

“Ibukun’s mother did not help matters. She was the one who encouraged her daughter to go against her husband’s wish not to work in Lagos.

“I presented this issue before Ibukun’s parents and tried to call their attention to what effect her decision could have on their marriage, but her mother told me there was nothing to worry about. According to her, she worked out of town for the first 12 years of her marriage. She added that despite this, her home was still intact.

“I asked Ibukun why she was not yet pregnant and she bluntly told me she was not ready to be a mother yet and this I found displeasing.

“Ibukun’s mother has said it several times to my hearing that she was never in support of my son’s marriage to her daughter. According to her there were better men around she could get married to.

Ibukun lied that she still has some of her property in my son’s house. A deacon from my church was also around when she came to pack her belongings and he ensured she removed all, “he said.

Ruling after he had heard both parties, the court president, Chief Olasunkanmi Agbaje, dissolved their wedlock.