A saleswoman, Silifatu Lawal, on Monday told a Mapo Grade A Customary Court in Ibadan, to dissolve her 20 years old marriage to one Oladimeji Lawal on grounds of frequent battery and lack of affection.
Testifying before the court, Silifatu, who lives in Sabo-Oke area of Ilorin, Kwara, said that her husband immediately started abusing her physically without any justification as soon as she moved in with him.
“I was traumatised from Lawal’s physical abuse during my first pregnancy; I was forced to return to my parents’ home for proper medical care until I was delivered of my baby.
“After the naming ceremony, attended by Lawal and some of his relatives, we returned to my husband’s home, but he still refused to show either me or our child proper care,” Silifatu told the court.
The petitioner further said following her husband’s continued physical abuse, she had a stillbirth in 2006.
“I eventually moved all my belongings out of his home as I could no longer tolerate his maltreatment and lack of love from a man I call my husband,” Silifatu said.
However, the respondent neither entered an appearance nor had a representation, in spite of warning notices, making the case to have suffered several adjournments.
Delivering judgment, the President of the court, S.M. Akintayo, held that since there was a valid customary marriage between the duo from the evidence tendered by the petitioner, the court had no option but to grant her request for dissolution of the marriage.
Akintayo, therefore, dissolved the marriage, citing incompatibility as the reason for her decision.
She granted custody of the two children to Silifatu and ordered Lawal to be responsible for their feeding, schooling and medical needs.
