After feeding him, he still beats me, then demands for s*x —Woman
“My lord, please set me free from this bondage I entered into 17 years ago called marriage. My husband has consistently shirked his responsibility in the home and he watches me labour to make ends meet. After feeding him, he still beats me and then demands for s3x. I’m fed up with this kind of life.”
These were some of the words of Mrs Folake Abe before Oja Oba/ Mapo Court C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State.
Folake had approached the court praying it to dissolve her 17-year-old marriage to her husband, Tope Abe, on the accounts that he is irresponsible and not caring. He added that he’s a brute.
The plaintiff further prayed the court to grant her custody of their three children in order to give them adequate care.
The defendant however failed to show up in court after been served a court summon and court hearing twice.
Folake stated thus:”All I have been experiencing since I got married to my husband 17 years ago is hell. I feel quite unfulfilled because my hope of having a settled home has been dashed.
“My lord, I single-handedly fed and clothed my husband and children. He never knew how food got to the table, but he would always be the first to eat and would never put our children into consideration.
“Any time I failed to provide his food, he would beat me and would nearly kill me. The last time he beat me before leaving home, I bled from the nose.
“He is violent and was also fond of threatening me with broken bottle and cutlass. I once reported him at the police station; he was invited and warned to desist from harassing me. He packed his property and moved out to an unknown destination, threatening to deal with me physically and spiritually.
“Our 11-year-old son took ill and was on admission in the hospital. He was informed and he came to the hospital and applied some ointment on him. Immediately he did that, our son started gasping for breaths and died. He left the hospital immediately he died. I have not heard from him since then, “she concluded.
Giving his judgment, the court president, Chief Ademola Odunade, stated that it was necessary that their union be dissolved since it has a display of violence.
He added that the defendant’s refusal to show up in court implied he was no more interested in their union.
Ruling, Ademola dissolved the union and granted custody of their three children to the plaintiff.
The defendant was asked to pay the sum of N10, 000 monthly as their children’s feeding allowance and be responsible for their education and health care.