A woman, Diana, has dragged her husband, Peter before Grade A Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, seeking that an end be brought to their union on the grounds of irresponsibility, no love and domestic violence by the latter.
Diana begged for custody of their children while she prayed the court to make her husband responsible for their upkeep.
She further requested an order restraining her husband from threatening, fighting, and interfering with her private life.
Peter refused to enter an appearance in court despite being served court summonses.
Diana said in court, “My husband impregnated me after we met and dated for months.
“I moved in with him after I was pregnant, but we held no wedding ceremony, neither did he pay my bride price.
“The wool was pulled off my eyes after I started living with my husband.
“I realised that he was a drunk and brute.
“My husband also smokes Indian hemp.
“He becomes high and loses control of his senses after smoking Indian hemp.
“He will start to misbehave, beat me, and sometimes chase me around our neighbourhood with a cutlass.
“There was a night he beat me with the cutlass from 8:00 pm till 1:00 am and I almost died.
“My father once came to mediate in our differences, but he ended up beating him blue black.
“My lord, I am no longer interested in our marriage.
“I pray for divorce and custody of our children.
“I plead that the court make him responsible for our children’s upkeep and also restrain him from threatening, fighting, or interfering with my private life.
The president of the court, Mrs S.M Akintayo, in her judgment, stated that the defendant was given ample opportunity to defend himself, but that he refused to make use of it.
According to her, his consistent absence in court shows that he was also no longer interested in their wedlock.
Akintayo stated that there was no marriage to be dissolved because no customary marriage was celebrated between both parties.
She granted the plaintiff custody of their children while the defendant was ordered to be responsible for their welfare.
She ordered both parties to maintain peace and order.
(Photo illustration courtesy of Saturday Tribune)
