A woman, Agnes, has approached the Grade A Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, seeking that it stopped the relationship between her and her husband, Daniel, on the grounds of irresponsibility, theft, constant threat and desertion.
The plaintiff said the defendant regularly shirked his responsibility, especially in the area of paying their children’s school fees.
Agnes stated that Daniel passed the responsibility to her and that on many occasions she had to take loans to offset the accumulated fees.
She explained that her husband rather than appreciate her always accused her of being proud.
She added that she once borrowed money and gave him to offset their debt at their children’s school, but that to her chagrin, he squandered it during a festive programme in their church.
The plaintiff added that the defendant was in the habit of stealing her money, which made her resort to hiding them inside cushions and pillows.
Agnes also said that Daniel sometimes beat and locked her out.
According to her, he once deserted home for a month and cared less how their children fared.
The plaintiff told the court that the defendant threw her out and took to coming to her new place of abode and office to threaten and fight her.
Agnes pleaded for the custody of their children and also requested an order restraining her husband from threatening, fighting, or interfering with her private life.
Daniel pleaded not liable to all the charges brought against him.
He also refused that his wife had custody of their children.
The defendant stated that he was the one paying their children’s school fees before the defendant got a job and became proud.
He added that she denied him access to their children.
Agnes, in her evidence, said, “My lord, the greatest mistake I ever made in life was that of marrying my husband.
“He is irresponsible and passed the bulk of his responsibility to me.
“We constantly delay in paying our children’s school fees because he never saw it as his duty to pay.
“He would switch off his phone any time the school authorities called home, asking that he paid.
“I took up the challenge of paying to avoid our children being sent home every now and then.
“I went a borrowing, and before I knew it, I was neck-deep in debt.
“I once took a loan of N200,000 and gave him to offset our debt in our children’s school, but my husband to my chagrin squandered N65,000 out of this during a festive programme in church.
“I challenged him on getting home that night, and he beat me blue back.
“We kept changing our children’s schools because they are always being thrown out of school due to our failure to pay and my husband’s shameful act of fighting with the authorities in charge.
“My husband is also a thief. He was always stealing my money and would deny it.
“I, therefore, kept my money inside cushions and pillows, but he still discovered them.
“I once accused him of stealing my money, and he beat me to a pulp, threw me out in the cold of the night, and locked the door behind him.
“I slept in a friend’s house that night.
“My husband once deserted home for a month, not leaving a clue about his whereabouts.
“I fed our children for the whole month and met their other needs.
“Daniel later threw me out after we had a misunderstanding but refused to let me be.
“He would come to my place of abode to threaten and fight me.
“He has also become a common face at my workplace.
“Daniel will come to my office to fight and embarrass me.
“I reported him in the church, and they counselled him, but he refused to change, which was why I came to court.
“I pray this honourable court to dissolve our wedlock and grant me custody of our children.
“I further plead for an order restraining him from threatening, fighting and interfering with my private life.”
Daniel responded, “I was the one paying our children’s fees before she became gainfully employed.
“I made an agreement with their school on how I would be paying their school fees and never defaulted.
“Agnes deprived me of access to our children since she left home.
“I pray the court to rule that I see them.”
The court president, Mrs S.M Akintayo, adjourned the case for further hearing.
(Photo illustration courtesy Saturday Tribune)
