Grade A Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State has heard the testimony of a woman, Shukurat Abdulkaheem, who brought a divorce suit against her husband, Aremu Abdulkaheem, on the grounds that he was jobless and not ready to work.
Shukurat added that Aremu was in the habit of beating her, while he also denied her access to their children whom he forced into his custody.
The plaintiff in her suit entreated the court to grant her custody of their children so that she could take good care of them.
She in addition, prayed the court to rule that her husband be responsible for their children’s upkeep, giving education and health care a priority.
Shukurat further pleaded for an order of perpetual injunction restraining her husband from threatening and interfering with her private life.
Aremu pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.
The defendant refused that the plaintiff had custody of their children.
Shukurat stated that: “I never knew that my husband was jobless until we got married and I moved into his house after he impregnated me.
“We held a wedding ceremony in line with Islamic rites. He paid my bride price, but my parents returned it.
“We started off our marriage in hunger. Aremu only bore the title of breadwinner, he never bought a loaf of bread for the home till we parted ways.
“My husband has no shame. He was not interested in working and felt comfortable being fed by his family members.
“I hardly had food to eat despite being pregnant and was always weak.
“I fetched water day and night in the neighbourhood because we didn’t have water in our compound and this took its toll on my health.
“I developed a pain in my chest as a result of drawing water out of the well, but my husband felt unconcerned.
“I requested that Aremu helped me with the drawing of water, but he refused.
“Famished, I would carry out his dirty clothes and wash. But rather than show appreciation for my effort, all he did was to complain.
“I took up my husband’s responsibility in the home after I was delivered of our first child.
“I fed and clothed my husband. I also enrolled our children in school.
“Aremu would get angry any time I lack enough fund to cook and would give me blows.
“Any time I complained about his irresponsible lifestyle, he would report me to his mother who always took sides with him.
“I once got frustrated feeding from hand to mouth and moved out of his house.
“He came with his parents to beg me and I went back to him.
“Aremu rather than change got worse. He took to beating me the more.
“My husband would slap and punch me in the presence of our children.
“I packed my belongings out of his house a second time and relocated to Lagos with our children.
“He never asked after our children nor sent me money for their feeding and education.
“I decided that our children spent the long vacation with him, but he refused that they returned to me.
“Aremu constantly denied me access to them. He refused that I spoke to them on phone. He later put our children in his mother’s custody.
“I went to see our children in his mother’s place, but she started shouting, screaming and abusing me on sighting me. She hid the children from me and brought them out only after her neighbours intervened.
“My husband has started poisoning our children’s mind and refused that they spend their holidays with me.
“My lord, I appeal to this court to dissolve our marriage and grant me custody of our children because my husband and her mother have failed to take good care of them.
“I further pray that my husband be mandated to be responsible for their upkeep, giving priority to their feeding, education and healthcare.
“I also want the court to stop him from threatening and interfering with my private life.”
The court president, Mrs S.M Akintayo adjourned the case till March 13 for defense
