A 42-year old jobless man, Mr Ibrahim Oseni, on Tuesday lost his 10 -year old marriage over his failure to get a work as an Igando Customary Court in Lagos granted his estranged wife’s request to dissolve the union.
Delivering judgment, the President of the court, Mr Akin Akinniyi, said the petitioner was adamant in spite of mediation from the court and family intervention.
“Since the petitioner insisted on divorce after several interventions, the court has no choice than to dissolve the union, in spite of the fact that the husband still claims he loves his wife.
“The court pronounces the marriage between Mrs Awawu Oseni and Mr Ibrahim Oseni dissolved today; both parties henceforth cease to be husband and wife.
“Both are free to go their separate ways without any hindrances and molestation,” Akinniyi said.
The petitioner had earlier told the court that her husband, Ibrahim, with whom she had a child in the marriage, was lazy and not useful to the family.
“My husband has refused to work. He sleeps at home from morning till night, snoring.
“When he wanted to marry me, he claimed that he had accommodation problem and he pleaded to move in with me for him to get another apartment.
“I accepted but he has refused to search for an accommodation ever since.
“My mother has been the one paying our house rent and feeding us since the inception of our marriage.
“And, I dare not fail to give him food to eat. He would beat the hell out of me,” the estranged wife said.
Awawu said that Ibrahim had also been accusing her of infidelity repeatedly.
“Whenever I go out, my husband always accuses me of going to see another man. He would beat me and asked me to tell him the name of the man I went to see.
“He embarrasses me in public by beating and calling me a dog, bastard and prostitute.
“All the scars on my body were due to his constant beatings,” she said.
The 30-year-old mother pleaded with court to divorce the union forthwith, saying that she was no longer interested.
“Please, save me from the cruel hands of Ibrahim. He may beat me to death one day if I continue with the marriage,” Awawu said.
However, Ibrahim said that Awawu was having extra- marital affairs.
“I always have the feeling that my wife is seeing another man and whenever she returns and I ask her to tell me the man she visited and she refuses, I beat her,” he said.
Ibrahim said that he was paying their house rent and was also caring for their only child.
The respondent also denied the allegation of being lazy.
“Although I stay in the house from morning but I leave with my motorcycle to work in the evening,” he explained.
He begged the court not to grant his wife’s wish for the dissolution of marriage, saying that he was still in love with her.
NAN
