IBADAN: A 20-year-old loveless marriage between Bukola and her husband, Jimoh Olajire, was on Friday dissolved on the orders of an Ibadan Customary Court, citing wife’s battering.
“My husband has turned me into a punching bag; beating me all the time unmindful of the burden of single-handedly feeding the six children of our union.
“I am tired of the marriage and I want it dissolved,” the estranged wife told the court.
Upholding the request of the woman, the President of the court, Chief Mukaila Balogun, said the dissolution of the marriage had become necessary because the evidence before the court showed that there was no more love between them.
Balogun added that the respondent has agreed to the dissolution of the union as requested by his estranged wife, the court is handicapped to mediate in a bid to resolve the matter.
“Based on this evidence, the marriage is thereby dissolved and the custody of the first three of the six children of the union is given to the respondent.
“The remaining three children should remain with the plaintiff (Busayo).
“The respondent should forthwith pay N9,000 monthly as feeding allowances for the three children in the custody of the plaintiff,” the court ruled.
Earlier, Busayo, who had approached the court for dissolution, accused her ex-husband of turning her to a punching bag.
She also accused the man of neglecting his responsibility as a husband and father to the six children and herself.
“My husband was in the habit of beating me always without considering my efforts in single-handedly feeding the six children of our union.
“He used to accuse me wrongly of having extra-marital affair with his junior brother.
“The allegation is disgusting and embarrassing because I see no reason why my husband would believe such,” she said.
In his defence, Olajire denied the allegations, but urged the court to uphold the divorce request being sought by his wife, whom she described as “a disobedient wife”.
He urged the court to grant him the custody of the six children of the marriage.
