He Beat Me, Disfigured My Face Before We Got Married, Took To Biting Me
“We had a mild argument and he punched me in the face two months to our wedding. I had a cut in my upper lip and bled profusely through the nose. I went into marriage with him thinking he would change but he got worse and took to biting me any time we fought.”
“We relocated to the city and she turned from the decent and cultured woman to a whore. She packed out of my house and moved into an apartment rented by her lover.”
A couple, Ganiyat Mohammed and Ganiyu Mohammed had appeared before Oja Oba/ Mapo C Court C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, with the former seeking that an end be put to their union.
Ganiyat who had earlier approached the court stated that her husband had failed in his duty towards her and their children, adding that he was a brute.
Ganiyat explained that she had enough of her husband’s atrocities and that she was ready to call it quits with him.
Ganiyu denied the allegations brought before him by his wife and disagreed on divorce giving the welfare of their children as his reason.
Both parties gave their evidence.
Ganiyat told the court that: “Ganiyu is a brute. All he knows to do is to beat and bite me.
“I got married to him in 2006. We had a mild misunderstanding two months before our wedding and he descended on me with heavy blows and disfigured my face. I had a deep cut in my upper lip and bled profusely through the nose.
“I decided to call off our wedding but later changed my mind after he begged me.
“Ganiyu rather than change got worse after we got married. He did not only beat me but also took to biting me any time we fought.
“He once beat me and I lost our pregnancy.
“Ganiyu never cared for our children which is one of the reasons I decided to make a living by driving maruwa for commercial purpose.
“I am not learned but I want our children to be educated. Ganiyu unfortunately shows no interest is their education.
“Our first child enrolled for the junior secondary school WAEC and he was asked to pay N9,000. He paid only N4, 000 out of this and refused to pay the balance. As such, our daughter’s name was not listed for the examination.
“I moved out of his house when I couldn’t bear with his beatings any longer but he refused that I leave with the children.
“A few weeks after this, I travelled out of town for days but I received a call from a neighbour that he came and dump the children at my place without giving them money.
“I rounded off my activities and rushed back home to meet with the children.
“My lord, Ganiyu never stopped fighting me. I have lived in four different houses because he’s always coming to fight me. He will beat me to a pulp and dig his teeth deep into my skin, biting me.
“My body is full of scars from his punches and bites.
“I’m now in love with another man who rented the house I’m now living in, but he insisted he wanted to spend the night with me there and I refused him.
“He has been threatening to deal with me and my lover since then.
“My lord, he’s now married to another woman, I, therefore, want him to leave me in peace.
“I entreat this honourable court to end our relationship and put our children in our care, but make him responsible for their welfare, “she concluded.
Ganiyu giving his testimony stated: “My lord, all I want is that Ganiyat move back to my place because of our children. I don’t want her to divorce me. If she does, our children will suffer.
“Ganiyat who was once decent and cultured changed immediately we relocated from Akure to Ibadan.
“Ganiyat started wearing skimpy dresses and became unruly in the home.
“She came ahead of me and moved in with her sister’s family which was okay by me. Ganiyat moved from this place to a rented apartment without informing me.
“She started dating different men who she entertained in her place.
“I eventually moved to Ibadan and rented an apartment, but she refused to move in with me.
“It took the intervention of our family members before she reluctantly did.
“She gave preference to her lovers and refused to stop dressing indecently which was the main reason we always fought.
“The last time we fought, she humiliated me by pressing me on the nose in front of neighbours.
“She later moved out and moved into an apartment rented by one of her lovers.
“My lord, Ganiyat is a liar. I take care of our children to the best of my ability, “he said.
Giving his judgment, the court president, Chief Ademola Odunade ruled that their union be dissolved.
He handed over their children to the plaintiff for care.
The defendant was asked to be responsible for their welfare and give the plaintiff N20,000 every month as feeding allowance.
Ganiyu was also mandated to see to their education and health needs.