Oja Oba/ Mapo Court C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State has dissolved the 15-year-old union between a couple, Asiata Abdul Rasheed and her husband, Oluwatosin Abdul Rasheed.
Asiata who dragged her husband to court accused him of neglect and violence. The plaintiff told the court that her life was endangered as long as she continued to live with her husband.
Asiata thus pleaded with the court to stop their relationship and award her custody of their four children whom she said he cared less about.
Giving her evidence she said: “My lord, I believe my husband married me not because he loves me, but so that he could beat and snuff life out of me.
“Any time we had a misunderstanding, my husband would beat me blue black.
“I became a common face in the hospital because he was in the habit of beating me. Oluwatosin would descend on me with punches and refuse to release me until I bled. I spent meaningful amount seeking medical attention on regular basis.
“My lord, my husband neglected me and our children. He cared less about our survival and welfare. I was the one who constantly ensured they ate and fared well.
“I also enrolled them in school and have been paying their school fees till date.
“Oluwatosin showed interest in me only when he wanted sex with me and I sometimes denied him because I know he never loved me.
“The last time I refused him sex, he got angry and hit me on the head with an iron rod. He almost damaged my skull. I bled profusely and had to be attended to at the hospital.
beating me. Our landlord and neighbours got fed up with our cat and mouse lifestyle and reported us at the Landlords Association meeting. After much deliberation on our matter and seeing no change in our relationship, the association ordered our landlord to send us packing.
“I packed my belongings and moved out of our apartment with our children.
“My lord, I no longer want to go on with my marriage to my husband. I pray that you stop our relationship and grant me custody of our children, “Asiata said.
Oluwatosin who did not accede to divorce said:”My lord, I don’t agree that you separate me and my wife mainly because of our children. If you do, they would become victims of a broken home.”
The defendant went on: “Asiata wants the dissolution of our marriage mainly because she’s a slut and has insatiable desire for sex.
“Asiata had strings of lovers while still living under my roof. I sometimes caught her with some of these men.
My lord, one particular man among her lovers is an alfa. I once caught her in a compromising position with this man in the mosque. At another time she brought him to our home.
“Rather than being gainfully employed, Asiata preferred to jump from bed to bed.
“My lord, Asiata satisfied her lovers sexually but constantly denied me my conjugal right which was the main reason we fought.
“It is true our landlord returned the balance of our rent to me and sent us packing. Everyone in our compound was fed up with Asiatu’s wayward lifestyle and didn’t want her to influence their wives and children negatively.”
Giving his judgment after he had heard both parties, the court president, Chief Ademola Odunade, stated that more evidence was needed.
Odunade thus adjourned the case till February 10 for jedgement and ordered both parties to come to court with their children.