Ile Tuntun Customary Court, Mapo Ibadan, Oyo State has dissolved the four-year-old union between a man, Ahmed Ajayi and his wife, Mariam Ishola on the accounts of irresponsibility and non compatibility.
Ahmed stated before the court that his wife changed and became uncaring and irresponsible after they got married. He thus prayed the court to separate them so that he could start his life afresh.
The defendant refused to come to court after being served a court summon and hearing twice.
The court president, Chief Olasunkanmi Agbaje, listening to the plaintiff observed that their marriage had broken down irretrievably. He added that the refusal of the defendant to come to court after being served a court summon and court hearing showed she was no longer interested in their marriage.
Ruling, he dissolved their marriage and ordered both parties to maintain peace. The defendant was further directed to obtain a copy of the judgment from the court.
Ahmed stated thus: “My lord, I have come to court because I’ve reached the conclusion that my wife is interested only in my money and not our marriage. I want this honourable court to put an end to our relationship because I’m no more interested in it.
“While courting, my wife’s behaviour was impressive and she was domesticated. She fitted into the picture of an ideal wife I had always desired to have. I, therefore, went ahead to contract marriage with her. To my surprise, she changed and started showing her true nature after we got married.
“She stopped cooking for me and abandoned her other duties in the home. She also stopped showing interest in my welfare. All she cared for was my money. The only time she gave me her attention was when she wanted to collect money from me.
“My family was to hold an event after I would have travelled out of the country on a business trip for three days. Since my wife was expected to be at my family house till I returned, I counseled her to be tolerant and respectful for the few days she was to spend there. She refused to take to my advice and ended up fighting with some of my family members.
“She went to report to her mother that my family members beat her. My mother in-law on hearing this called my friend who has the spare key to our flat in his care and requested that he opened the door for my wife to pack her belongings. He opened the door and she did.
“My wife came weeping and begging me after I returned from my trip that I should take her back. I did after which I called her father and explained to him all that had happened.
“My father in-law was surprised and showed displeasure at the way his wife handled the crisis between my wife and my family members. He promised to reconcile both parties, ‘he said.
“My lord, I later discovered my father in-law was not sincere. I came across the international passport he secured for my wife in her maiden name. She was denied a visa at the end of the day.
“I decided we moved out of our former apartment because I was feeling quite embarrassed fighting with my wife every day. I thus rented a new apartment.
“I travelled to Ireland few weeks after this but took ill on getting there and was on admission for months. My wife kept demanding money from me while on the sick bed and kept the state of my health away from my family members.
“She moved out of the apartment we were living and rented another which she stated was N500, 000 per annum. I sent her the money.
“On returning, I noticed she was always out of the house. We fought regularly over this. She later took to leaving home during the week and returning at weekends on the pretext that she was with her aunt.
“I reported her to her father who promised to talk to her, “he added.
“My lord, I later discovered that she paid N180, 000 for the apartment we were living in and not N500, 000 as she stated. My landlord explained that she brought me a fake receipt bearing the N500, 000 and showed me the photocopy of the original receipt bearing 180,000. When I confronted her with the facts she was shocked but failed to give me a reasonable explanation for her dubious act.
“I set her up in a business and got a shop for her while we were courting but she ruined the business and sold all the property in the shop.
“After we got married, I sold one of my lands, built her a shop and set her up in a business again but this went same way like the first.
“She continuously showed disinterest in our marriage and didn’t make efforts at making it work. I also realised that she and her family members were more interested in my money than our marriage. After thinking deep, I decided to relocate to Osogbo while she stayed back in Ibadan.
“Immediately I settled down there she started withdrawing money from my account without my consent. The last time she did, she withdrew N300, 000. I made a complaint at my bank and was informed she was the one withdrawing my money after investigation was done. I was asked to make a report at the police station and I did. She was arrested and her father wrote an undertaking to pay the money thrice but he reneged on his promise. He paid N100, 000 only once.
“My lord, I’m fed up with our marriage, I pray the court to give me a permanent break from it, “he concluded.