Oja Oba/Mapo Court C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, recently dissolved the three year-old union between a couple, Sheriff Adesola and Lola Adesola.
Sheriff, who dragged his wife to court, alleged that she attempted to poison him.
The plaintiff also accused his wife of infidelity. According to him, he had stopped trusting and loving her the moment he realised she was dating other men.
Sheriff explained that it was dangerous living with a promiscuous woman because she could infect him with STDs. He thus appealed to the court to rule that they go their different ways.
Lola consented to divorce, but denied some of the allegations leveled against her.
The defendant told the court that she never enjoyed her marriage with her husband because he was a womaniser.
Lola explained that Sheriff had strings of lovers. According to her, he neglected her and their children, but squandered his resources on his lovers.
According to her, Sheriff did the unpardonable when he impregnated her friend.
The defendant who further complained of battery, stated that any time she complained about her husband’s irresponsible acts, he would slap her and then descend on her with heavy blows thus leaving her with injuries all over her body.
The defendant pleaded with the court to grant her custody of their only child but make him responsible for their upkeep.
“My lord, I did all in my power to make my wife comfortable, but rather than make me happy, she’s bent on killing me,” Sheriff explained
“Lola’s plan is that I die. She doesn’t care what happens to our child or what the future holds for him if I die.
“I stopped loving and trusting her the moment I discovered she is unfaithful to me.
“My wife engages in extra marital affairs. She goes out at will and returns home late.
“Lola stopped giving me the necessary attention as her husband. She suddenly became unruly and started flouting my orders.
“My wife fights and embarrasses me even in the public and would sometimes tear my clothes to shreds.
“Her behaviour gradually brought a strain in our relationship.
“Sex with my wife has become no more appealing to me because I am afraid she can infect me with STDs.
“Lola has become heartless. I would have been a dead man by now if her planned had worked out. I caught her red-handed putting poison in the food she wanted to serve me. I reported the incident to her parents, but they did nothing about it.
“My lord, I can’t go any further in my relationship with my wife. I pray that you end it, “the plaintiff stated.
Lola giving her evidence said, ”I gain nothing staying married to Sheriff. My experience thus far in our three-year-old union is that of woe. My lord, I agree that you separate us.”
She added that, “My husband places no worth or value on me. He treats me like a rag.
“Sheriff is the one who has been unfaithful in our marriage. He has strings of lovers and prefers to squander his income on them rather than take care of me and our children.
“He slaps me any time I raise my voice against his indecent lifestyle and will sometimes beat me to a pulp.
Sheriff has no shame. He impregnated my friend. I moved to my parents’ house after this while efforts were made by both his family to iron out the issue on ground.
“My husband during this period would request that I go with him to the hotel and we would make love.
“He impregnated me on one of these occasions but refused that I kept the pregnancy. Sheriff gave me N4, 000 and demanded that I aborted it.
“He refused to take me back despite all efforts made by my parents to reconcile us because he wanted my friend whom he impregnated to move in with him.
“My lord, I plead with this court to award me custody of our only child but make him responsible for his welfare,” he ended.
Ruling, the court president, Chief Ademola Odunade dissolved their union and granted custody of their child to the defendant.
The plaintiff was ordered to be responsible for their child’s welfare.
He was asked to give the defendant N5,000 every month as their child’s feeding allowance and meet every other need, education and health care in particular.
