A tailor, Mrs Musili Alausa has prayed the Ile Tuntun Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, to dissolve her 12-year-old marriage to Ayobami Olayiwola, a driver.
Musili accused her husband of being irresponsible and indifferent to her wellbeing and that of their children. She, therefore, urged the court to separate them and grant her custody of their two children.
Ayobami debunked his wife’s accusation, but agreed to her plea for divorce.
“Our marriage had been facing challenges, but these got to a height when a prophecy came that we should move out of our dwelling place.
“There was a revelation in the church we were attending and where my husband was a pastor, that our house was bewitched and this was given as the reason for the challenges we were encountering in our home.
“I discussed this with my husband and called his attention to the fact that we had to move out fast.
“He saw reason with me initially, but later developed cold feet.
“He told me after I had persuaded for long, he was not moving out because the house was his father’s.
“I moved out with our children since he was adamant leaving the place, “Musili said.
“My husband stopped caring for me and our children the moment we moved out. He stopped giving us food allowance and was no more committed to the children’s education.
“Since we were starving, I decided that the children should hawk pop corn and sachet water. Unfortunately, they were arrested by policemen when hawking along the express road during Environmental Sanitation hours.
“I informed him of the incident; he didn’t bulge or show any concern. I ran around to gather money for their release.
“One of these children later fell and broke her hand while playing with her friends in school; he likewise didn’t show any care. The child was writhing in pain and since I couldn’t afford the medical fee, I took her to a Hausa man who is a bone setter.
“Her younger brother also had a problem with his internal organ and had blood in his urine. I gave him herb to drink, but there was no improvement. I, therefore, called and told him about the sickness, but he never showed up.
“I took some of the urine in a tin and went to his house to show him so that he would know how serious the ailment was. He was with his new wife when I got there. He shouted at me and humiliated me before her. I told him my mission and brought out the urine to show him , but he sent me away.
“He has totally neglected me and our children who go to school hungry, barefooted and in tattered uniform, ”she added.
“I have always taken care of our children, she’s just cooking up lies to gain favour before the court, Ayobami stated.
“When she moved out of home, she told me she got an apartment and demanded money for the rent.
“I told her I wanted to know the place after which I would give her the charged rent, but she refused to take me there.
“I paid N10,000 for the release of our children arrested for hawking during the hours of environmental sanitation exercise and also gave her N5,000 for the medical care of the child with blood in his urine.
“I give her N5,000 monthly for the children’s upkeep.
“I later discovered she has moved in with another man whom she had a child for. I reported her to her family members but they failed to take any positive step.
“My lord, It’s better we part ways since she’s with another man, “he stated.
The court president, Chief Henry Agbaje, having listened to the couple adjourned the case till April 19 and ordered the couple to come with their children and family members.
The couple appeared in court on the adjourned date with their relatives. Both the relatives of the plaintiff and defendant agreed that they should be separated since both have remarried.
Chief Agbaje thus ruled that their marriage be dissolved and the custody of the children be granted the plaintiff.
The defendant was ordered to pay N5,000 monthly through the court for the children’s upkeep, while he should also shoulder the responsibility of their education and health care.