A woman, Omoladun, has asked the Grade A Customary Court sitting in Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, to end her relationship with her husband, Tijani, accusing him of neglect, physical assault and failure to cater for their children.
Omoladun told the court that her husband allegedly abandoned the family for four years without disclosing his whereabouts, while she struggled alone to provide food, education and other necessities for their children.
She further alleged that Tijani was rarely at home and that whenever he returned, their relationship was often characterised by quarrels, which she claimed sometimes ended with him physically assaulting her.
According to her, she later learnt that her husband had married another woman and had a child with her before eventually returning to the family without explaining his prolonged absence.
She said, “My husband is irresponsible and has failed in his responsibilities as the head of the family and breadwinner. He hardly stays at home and never made efforts to bond with me or the children.
“He abandoned us for four years without contacting us. When he eventually returned, he resumed assaulting me and his behaviour became worse.”
Omoladun, who said she had become fed up with the alleged maltreatment, urged the court to grant her custody of the children and compel Tijani to provide for their feeding, education and healthcare.
She also sought an order restraining him from allegedly threatening, harassing or interfering with her privacy.
However, Tijani agreed that the relationship should end, but accused his wife of being cruel to their children.
He alleged that Omoladun once inflicted a deep injury on their seven-year-old son by placing a hot knife on his buttocks after the boy allegedly stole meat from a cooking pot.
He also accused her of negligence, claiming that another child sustained an injury after the child’s foot became trapped in a bicycle spoke while she was taking him out.
Tijani said, “My wife is wicked and appears to have lost affection for the children. She used a hot knife on our son’s buttocks because he took meat from the pot, causing a deep wound.
“She is also careless. Another child had his foot caught in a bicycle spoke while she was taking him out, and the injury has left the child’s foot deformed.”
In her judgment, the court president, Mrs O.E. Owoseni, held that there was technically no marriage to dissolve because the parties did not perform the required customary rites and no bride price was paid.
Owoseni, however, granted Omoladun custody of the children and ordered Tijani to take responsibility for their upkeep.
The court also restrained the defendant from harassing, threatening or interfering with the plaintiff’s privacy.
