- by Met
A Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, has dissolved a 20-year-old marriage between Iyabo Akinpelu and her husband, Mukaila Akinpelu, over threat to life.
The court president of the court, Mr Ademola Odunade, said the love between Iyabo and Mukaila had broken down irretrievably.
He ordered that two out of the four children produced by the union should stay with Iyabo, and asked both parties to maintain the peace.
He directed Mukaila to pay a monthly feeding allowance of N8, 000 to Iyabo for the upkeep of the two children, and be responsible for their education and welfare.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Iyabo, a farmer, told the court that her husband, Mukaila, usually beat her and prevented her from going to work.
“My lord, Mukaila has almost killed me with daily battery and I can no longer move with my friends.
“I can’t even go out to my different farmlands because he keeps monitoring me.
“The only business I know is farming and my life is being threatened by hunger.
“Worst still, Mukaila has asked his son from another wife to beat me and he beats me at will.
“Not too long ago, after he had barred me from stepping out of the house and I managed to go to the farm, I overheard him discussing with some of his friends on how he could kill me.
“Mukaila did not know that I have that secret with me because he didn’t see me.
“I then informed my elder brother of his threat to kill me.
“In addition, Mukaila has refused to send any of our children to school for education.
“He is not interested in their welfare,” Iyabo added.
Mukaila, who agreed with Iyabo’s request, however, denied some of the allegations leveled against him.
“My Lord, even though I am tired of staying with Iyabo as a husband, do not grant her custody of any of the children.
“It is not true that I was discussing with anyone to kill her.
“Iyabo is just insensitive; she is aware that I have little, but she wants the children to go to the best of the schools in town.