I’m a graduate but he’s a welder. I mistakenly got pregnant for him and had no choice but to marry him. My marriage to him is hell because we are not compatible. He once stole my pant and I guess he wanted to use it for ritual.”
Husband reacts: “She treats me with disdain and dictates when we should have sex. I became a common face at canteens because the earliest time she returns home from work is 11:00 p.m.”
A woman, Sadiat Abass has brought a divorce suit against her husband, Lasisi Abass, at Oja Oba/ Mapo Court C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State.
Sadiat in her suit claimed that her husband failed in his responsibility towards him and their only child.
She added that he once had sex with her by force and at another time stole her pant for evil purpose.
The plaintiff stated that the defendant later threw her belongings out of his house and threatened to pour acid on her.
Lasisi gave his consent to divorce.
The defendant denied all the allegations brought against him by his wife, stating that she cooked them up in order to have a fair hearing.
Lasisi stated that the plaintiff was in the habit of humiliating him and that she loved to have her way.
According to him, the plaintiff burnt him with a hot iron when he insisted on having sex with her and added that she moved out of his house out of her own volition.
Giving his judgment after he heard both parties, the court president, Chief Ademola Odunade, stated it was crucial that that the court ended their marriage since it showed the display of violence.
Ruling, Odunade put an end to their union and granted custody of their child to the plaintiff.
The defendant was asked to be responsible for the child’s welfare, stressing that his education and health care should be given utmost priority.
According to Odunade, Lasisi must give Sadiat N5,000 every month for their child’s feeding.
This he stated must be carried out through the court.
“I don’t regard Lasisi as my husband. As far as I am concerned, we are just cohabiting,” Sadiat stated.
“I never had the plan of getting married to him because we don’t belong to the same class. I’m a graduate but he’s a welder. I got pregnant for him by mistake and had no choice than to marry him.
“I never enjoyed my marriage to Lasisi for a day because he is irresponsible.
“He neglects my welfare and that of our only child. He doesn’t believe that the provision of food and other necessities in the home should be his duty since according to him, I’m working.
“I work hard to cover up his lapses but he always shows he’s an ingrate.
“Any time I cook, he will empty the whole pot not caring if our child and I had eaten,” the plaintiff explained.
“Lasisi once took my pant and I believe he had an evil motive in mind. His plan was to use it for ritual purpose. I searched for the pant for about two weeks and later found it in his possession. He has failed to explain till date what it was doing among his things.
“I reported him to my parents and they advised that I throw the pant away.
“We once had a misunderstanding and we fought. He locked me out of the house and refused that I enter. I notified my parents and they did all they could to placate him but he remained adamant. I moved to my sister’s place and was with her for two weeks before he agreed that I moved back to his house,” Sadiat added.
She went on, “My lord, Lasisi once raped me. We had sex the previous night which was a Saturday and around noontime the following day he again demanded for another round.
“I refused him. He struggled with me and almost strangled me. He later had his way and we fought after this.
“He took to monitoring my movement and ensured that I had no peace in the home.
“He threw my belongings out and I moved to my parents’ house.
“He has since then sent thugs after me while he also threatened to disfigure my face by pouring acid on me.
“I appeal to this honourable court to dissolve our marriage and restrain him from carrying out his threats,” she said.
In his testimony, Lasisi said: “My lord, Sadiat is deceitful in nature. I am therefore not surprised she told the court so many lies in order to curry its favour.”
“Sadiat does whatever pleases her in the home because she knows I’m a gentleman and hate to beat my wife.
“She shouts on top of her voice when addressing me and treats me with disdain even in the presence of others.
“She dictates when we should have sex and would always insist on having her way.
“I once demanded for sex and she denied me. I got annoyed and insisted I was having my way. There was a struggle and she went for a hot pressing iron and burnt my nect with it.
“I felt a sharp pain and the spot got swollen. It developed into a sore which I nursed for weeks.
“That pain spurred my determination to have sex with her that day.
“Sadiat lied that I didn’t care for her. I rented a shop for her and gave her N20,000 to stock it with goods. I also stood as her guarantor twice when she took loans from a microfinance bank to buy more goods for her shop.
“A friend of mine who resides abroad also gave me N50,000 and this we added to the almost N200,000 loan.
“I was the one who paid back all the loans, yet she stated that I was irresponsible.
“Even though she sells foodstuff and provision, I still give or transfer money to her to buy foodstuff for the home.
“Early in our marriage I would join her in her shop in the evening to pack her wares and lock the shop. But I guess she didn’t want to be seen with me because she would always shout on me. I thus decided to stop going there.
“Sadiat thereafter took to coming home late. The earliest time she returned home was 11:00 p.m. Any time I complain, she would shout on me.
“Since she was never around to cook our meals, I resorted to eating at a nearby canteen.
“She never ceased to fight with me. She moved out of my house twice and it took the intervention of my family members and hers before she agreed to move back.
“On the second occasion she told her father she would soon return to their home.
“I asked her what she meant by that statement when we got back home and she told me she had made up her mind not to have more children for me.
“I never stole her pant, neither am I fetish. I’m a decent person and have always lived a clean life.
“My lord, since she’s insisting on divorce, I pray the court to grant her wish, “he concluded.