- by Met
A wife, Birinatu Bolarinwa has told a Customary Court in Ibadan, Oyo State she’s no more interested in her union with her husband, Hammed Bolarinwa.
The wife, Birinatu in her claim alleged that her husband shirked his responsibility as head of the home and breadwinner and abandoned her for a number of years. She thus prayed the court to terminate their 12-year-old marriage and grant her custody of their four children.
“My lord, if my children and I could survive the rough times when he was not there, then I believe we can do without him.
“I’m pleading for divorce because I don’t believe in staying in a marriage which is unfulfilling.
“My children and I never felt my husband’s presence in the home because he was never there.
“I am solely responsible for feeding and clothing the children. I’m also the one training them in school. He doesn’t know which school the children are attending, what classes they are and how much they are paying as schools fees.
“His complaint every now and then was that of paucity of fund, but he had money to drink.
“He stopped giving me feeding allowance a long time ago and when I tried all I could to put food on the table, he would either complain that the meat was small or that the soup needed more salt or palm oil.
“He abandoned me and our children for two years and never cared to know how we were surviving. My mother played a major role in meeting our needs throughout this period.
“I’m fed up with him and no longer want to go further in the marriage, “the woman, plaintiff stated.
Hammed denied all the allegations leveled against him by the woman.
According to him, he cared for both his wife and children and actually made his children’s education a priority.
“All she has said are lies. Her plan is to paint me black.
“I’m a responsible husband and father. I feed her and the children on a daily basis while I don’t joke with my children’s education.
“I have never tasted alcohol in my whole life although I know it is bitter.
“My lord, I don’t agree that she has custody of our children because she doesn’t have time for them, ”he concluded.
Ruling after listening to the testimonies of both parties, the court president, Chief Ademola Odunade, ordered the marriage between the woman and her husband to be dissolved.
The woman, plaintiff was granted custody of their four children while the defendant was ordered to be responsible for the children’s education and general welfare.
He was also mandated to pay N8, 000 monthly as the children’s feeding allowance.