The President of a Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, Chief Ademola Odunade, has dissolved an eight-year marriage between Damilola Ogundeji and her husband, Ahmed, over complaints bordering on theft and wife battery.
Ogundeji had gone to court to seek the dissolution of her eight-year-old marriage to her husband, Ahmed, on account of incessant theft, laziness and battery.
The businesswoman told the court that she was tired of losing her hard earned money to her husband’s incessant theft.
She accused her estranged husband of “always following politicians around to political gatherings instead of getting a productive means of livelihood.
“My lord, I am tired of losing my hard earned money to Ahmed’s incessant thefts.
“If I dare ask him about the money or refuse to cook in time due to none availability of money, he beats me mercilessly.
“Moreover, Ahmed sometimes destroys my goods and plays no form of responsibility on the children and I.
“He also took a huge sum of money from me to buy land and tricycle for commercial transportation, but there is nothing to show for it till date.
“He has not delivered anything to me.”
Alhaji Suleiman Apanpa and Alhaji Rafiu Raji, witnesses called by Ogundeji, in their testimonies, claimed that Damilola was always beaten up by her husband any time she did not make enough money to cook at home.
The respondent, while giving his consent to the divorce-seeking suit, refused to deny any of the allegations leveled against him.
He, however, alleged that his wife was a prostitute, adding that he expelled her from his home for that reason.
Ahmed said: “After all my appeals to Damilola to stop making herself a public tap failed, I reported her to her parents and relatives, but she never turned a new leaf and I sent her away.
“Following my parents’ advice, I later went to plead with Damilola in her family’s house, but she refused to be pacified.
“Please, give me custody of my two children because I am responsible.”
Odunade, in his judgment, dissolved the marriage “in the interest of peace and harmony”.
He directed that the two children produced by the union should be in the custody of the petitioner, and ordered the respondent to pay N10,000 monthly as upkeep allowance.
“Ahmed should also be responsible for the education of the children and their general welfare,” he said.
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