Grade A Customary Court, sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, has adjourned for judgment a divorce suit brought before it by a woman, Nura, against her husband, Malik, whom she accused of irresponsibility, neglect, disrespect to her family and battery.

Nura said that Malik neglected her welfare and that of their children and refused to be committed to their children’s education.

Nura also stated that she and her mother have always been responsible for their children’s feeding while she worked hard to pay their school fees.

The plaintiff explained that the defendant gave her only N5, 000 when one of their children broke his legs and was admitted to the hospital for months.

She further stated that she always found her husband repulsive after he had smoked cigarette and drank alcohol, which made her deny him sex. She said he would beat her blue black for denying him sex.

According to Nura, Malik treated her family with disdain.

She stated that her husband once threw stones at her mother, while he beat one of her siblings to a pulp.

Nura again said that she had scarce all over her body because Malik never ceased to bite her any time they fought.

The plaintiff told the court that she was fed up with her marriage and therefore prayed for its dissolution.

She also entreated the court for their children’s custody, while her husband was made to be responsible for their welfare.

Nura further requested for order, restraining Malik from harassing, threatening, and interfering with her private life.

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Malik denied all that Nura said against him.

He also refused that their marriage be dissolved and his wife granted their children’s custody.

Malik stated that he was up and doing in their home.

According to him, he paid their children’s fees as when due and same with their rent.

He explained that the only time he derailed in the agreement of paying the rent was when his father was sick and was admitted to the hospital.

According to him, he spent all his resources attending to his father, who unfortunately died.

The defendant again said that he beat his wife because she had a caustic tongue, adding that she was in the habit of pulling his manhood any time they fought.

The plaintiff in her testimony said, “I do not feel the presence of my husband in our home.

“I work hard to feed and clothe our children because my husband neglected them.

“I also took up the challenge of paying their school fees since he showed no interest in their education.

“He gave me only N5, 000 when our son broke his legs and was admitted to the hospital for months.

“All that my husband knows to do is to smoke and drink, and then demand for sex which I always deny him.

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“I always refuse that he has sex with me because I cannot tolerate the smell of tobacco and alcohol.

“He beats me every time I refused him sex.

“I was once admitted to the hospital for three days as a result of his severe beatings.

“He also bites me any time we fight. The scars all over my body confirm this.

“We were sent packing by our landlord after he failed to pay the rent.

“Since he was out of job, we both decided that I moved to my parents’ house with our children while he moved to his.

“My mother took up the sole responsibility of feeding our children.

“My husband, rather than show gratitude to my family, took to humiliating them.

“He abused my mother during a misunderstanding and further went to throw stones at her.

“He also beat my sibling to a pulp.

“He had stopped greeting my mother since I dragged him to court.

“His family members also refused to sympathise with us when my mother lost her sister in a tragic manner.

“He now travels a lot due to the nature of his job and has strings of lovers.

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“I no longer trust him.

“I am also no longer interested in our marriage.

“I pray this honourable court to dissolve our union and grant me custody of our children.

“I further plead that the court mandates him to be responsible for our children’s upkeep giving feeding, education and health care a priority.

“I further request an order restricting him from harassing, threatening, and interfering with my private life.”

Malik responded, “I am not willing to divorce my wife.

“I entreat this honourable court to help settle our differences.

“All that my wife said was yo win the court’s sympathy.

“I am a responsible father and committed to our children’s welfare.

“I feed them and pay their fees as at when due.

“The only time I defaulted was when my father was sick and dying in the hospital.

“His treatment gulped all my resources.

“We were thrown out of our apartment because I could not pay the rent which led to our moving to our parents’ houses.

“Her mother never ceased to ridicule me despite being aware that I was out of job.

“She once demanded to have the N80, 000 she claimed to have spent feeding our children.

“She also refused me access to the children.

“I once took them to my parent’s house where I was staying and made them spend the night with me.

“My mother-in-law instigated my wife against me.

“My wife has a caustic tongue.

“She came to my family house to abuse and fight me, thus humiliating me.

“My wife is in the habit of pulling my manhood whenever we fight, which made me bite her.

“We are both Muslim, but she suddenly abandoned her faith and started going to church.

“She is now the information officer of her church because she is always informing people of their programmes in the church and inviting them.

“My wife has kept frustrating every attempt made to reconcile us.

“I do not agree that she has custody of our children if she is still insisting on divorce.”

The court president, Mrs S.M Akintayo, after she had heard both parties adjourned the case until Novemver 18, for judgment.
(TRIBUNE)