WTF AFRICA- WIFE SEH HUSBAND BRING WOMAN INA HAR BED

A woman, Esther Oyewole, has approached the Ile Tuntun Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, seeking the dissolution of her 11-year-old marriage to her husband, Olayinka Oyewole, on the grounds of infidelity and battery.

She pleaded with the court for separation and grant her custody of their three children.

“We started having problems early in our marriage because my parents-in-law were not in support of our union and we were living in the family house.

“I gave birth to a set of twins through a Caesarean Section two weeks after my sister-in-law gave birth. My mother-in-law neglected me; she never for once visited me in the hospital for the two weeks I was there.

“Even after I was discharged, she would wake up early, pound yam and take it to her daughter, but would leave me to sort myself out.

“I moved to my parents’ house when I saw I wasn’t getting the necessary care at that time,” Esther told the court.

“My husband was later counselled to move out of his family house and he did. I thought we would start enjoying a blissful marriage but the reverse was the case.

“Immediately we moved into our rented apartment, my husband started picking quarrels with me. He would sometimes beat me and send me out in the night. There were times he threatened me with knife. He once tried to stab me. I dodged the knife and it cut my dress from the shoulder down. I escaped death by the whiskers that night.

“He started bringing women. I caught him on some occasions sleeping with them.

“He started facing challenges at his workplace and later lost his job. He kept changing jobs. His parents told him to move out of the building we were staying because the place was bewitched.

“They rented a new place for my husband without my knowledge. They came to pack his belongings to the new house while I was in my shop and left mine. I was called later in the day to come and pack my property out of our rented apartment since our rent was already due.

“I moved my things to my parents’ house, but he called me to move in with him. He warned me never to let his parents know I was with him,” the plaintiff added.

“He got a new job in Zaria and was coming home once in two months. Our children and I relocated to Zaria after a while.

“A few weeks after settling down, I realised that my husband was making good money from his job but he was spending it lavishly.

“I discovered that he had a girlfriend for whom he rented an apartment and a shop. He was always doling out money to girls while he paid no attention to me and the children. Any time I complained, he would beat me.

“We once fought and he removed a boiling ring from hot water and hit my eye with it. I almost lost my sight.

“We moved back to Ibadan where he kept maltreating me. He would lock the door and beat the hell out of me. He beat me so much one day that our neighbours had to force the door open in order to rescue me from him.

“He had chains of girlfriends and was in the habit of returning home late from work.

“He was also fond of going through my phone. I was counselled by friends to pretend that I was having an affair and I had conversations with a guy recorded on my phone. According to my friends, once he listened to the conversation, he would come back to his senses. He listened to our conversation as planned and went mad. He called me a prostitute and beat the hell out of me. Our landlady, at the end of the day, gave us a quit notice,” she stated.

“We again moved to another apartment, but he later left home. He abandoned me and our children and neglected their education. They attended school in tattered uniforms and worn-out sandals. He stopped paying their school fees after a while.

“Our eldest child took ill but he refused to give him any medical care. I did all in my power to ensure that he didn’t die, but he ended up becoming paralysed. He also became dumb.

“I was later told that my husband had taken another wife, built her a container which he stocked with bags of rice.

“He suddenly showed up at home and was reserved. It was his friend that later told me he had a problem with Customs officers when smuggling in rice across the border for his new wife. The goods were seized and he was made to pay through the nose. This drained his purse and he was left with nothing.

“My Lord, I have gone through hell in the 11 years of our marriage. I pray for divorce,” Esther concluded.

Olayinka, in his testimony, did not admit to his wife’s allegations.

He said: “The problem I have with my wife is that I love her too much. She knows this and thus misbehaves.

“She will never say sorry when she offends me. On many occasions, I would insist she kneel down and apologise after we have had a misunderstanding.

“She also does things without my permission. She had her hair cut without informing me which I found offensive.

She lied that I’m not caring. I dot on her and love to give her surprises. I once bought her a new phone which was quite expensive while I also bought a car in her name to convey our children to school. I bought a piece of land but later sold it and used the money to take care of her and our children when survival became hard.

“This was the period our son took ill. I did all I could to raise fund for his medical treatment, but my wife kept saying I did nothing.

“One other problem I have with my wife is that she doesn’t want to have anything to do with my family members. I advised her to call my mother on a regular basis or even send her N100 worth of airtime but she refused.

“She has good parents who also give her wise counsels but she doesn’t listen to them.

“My lord, above all, she has refused me s3x for a year. She turns her back to me in bed which makes me suspect she is having an affair,” Olayinka said.