‘My wife a drunk’
By Kayode Olabanji
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“My Lord , this woman you are looking at drinks alcohol more than a man. She is a drunk and a party addict, since she operates a beer parlor. She does not even have time to take care of the kids and she has been frustrating all my efforts in doing so. I cannot be at peace leaving my children with such a woman.
That was the response of a 36-year-old welder, whose wife had earlier approached a Grade B Customary Court sitting at Oke-Eda, seeking for the dissolution of the union, alleging her estranged husband of frequent beating , threat to life, lack of care for the family, desertion and lack of love.
The plaintiff, Oluwaranti Olubodun, a fashion designer, told the court while on oath that she had left her husband over six years ago due to his hooliganism attitude.
She said, ‘He would beat me to coma at least twice in a month that I would be hospitalised. He had even hired a standby Doctor to be taking care of me after the beatings.
“I became a sickler which makes me more regular in the hospital. That was the reason I left him then. Despite that, he would still come to my rented apartment to harass me in that same manner.
The 33-year-old plaintiff, who lives at Oshinle, in Akure, urged the court to grant her the custody of the children or the female child in the relationship.
According to her, if the respondent insisted that he wanted the custody of the children, she would not mind, provided that would stop him from pursuing her allover places and for peace to reign.
She prayed the court to order the respondent never to come to her vicinity again since there was no marriage between them and no payment of dowry, saying it was just a mere relationship which produced two children aged 11 and 8 (names withheld).
“I cannot open my eyes and allow a man to cut short my life, since he had promised to kill me and run away, to come back for his children after awhile,”she added.
Oluwaranti said she had earlier dragged him before the welfare department where he was warned not to touch her again and was also advised to take care of the children, all to no avail.
The respondent, Ajao Olubodun, who was also sworn on oath , claimed that the plaintiff was not his wife, but a girl-friend, and admitted beating her.
Ajao said the plaintiff had left him some years ago, but all he wants is the custody of the children for better up bringing.
He explained to the court, ” My lord, this woman would not allow my children to stay in school I paid for. Rather, she turned them to her sales boy and girl as young as they are. Since the children are my future, I will not condone that.
“At least, an 11-year-old boy should be able to read, but not my own children, my wife denied me all effort to equip them academically. She diverts any money I gave to her for upkeeps, feeding and tuition fees of the children to her beer parlor business.
Ajao, prayed the court to grant him the custody of the children for a better upbringing and promised to put the children in a boarding school, with an emphasy that he would allow his children stay with the plaintiff, because of her business.
“My children are my future and I had made up my mind not to marry another woman, but to take good care of my future. They are the reason for my hardworking, ” he stated.
Having carefully listened to both parties, the presiding president of the court, Chief R.F Olusanya, adjourned the case till October 21, 2019 for judgement.
