A Mapo Grade A Customary Court in Ibadan on Friday dissolved the 20-year-old marriage between Alhaja Morufat Iyandan and Semiu Iyanda on grounds of constant battery and lack of affection.
Morufat, a mother of five and a resident of the Amuloko area in Ibadan, claimed that her husband had made the marriage so miserable for her since the birth of their second child.
“My lord, Semiu normally unleash terror on me at home; in the market and sends me out of the house at midnight.
“He has threatened that he would continue to beat me until I die from such beating.
“He has shown me no form of love, care and affection as it is one day, one trouble in his home.
“I moved out of his home on March 31, 2022, after I requested for our feeding allowance,” Iyanda explained.
She prayed the court to compel the respondent to be responsible to the children as he had neglected his fatherly role towards them.
However, Alhaji Semiu told the court that he changed his attitude toward his wife because associated with people of questionable character immediately after she moved in with him.
Semiu, a businessman, said that he warned Morufat against keeping bad friends, but she would refuse.
“My lord, this was the reason why I stopped eating the food prepared by her,” Semiu said.
The respondent also asked the court to dissolve the marriage and begged the court to award him the custody of the five children.
Delivering judgment, the President of the court, Mrs S.M. Akintayo held that the customary marriage between Morufat and Semiu was valid based on the evidence adduced by the duo.
Akintayo noted that she acted on the wishes of both parties to dissolve the marriage.
Akintayo granted custody of the last three children to the petitioner because they were females and minors before the law.
She, however, stated that the first two who were 20 and 18 years old respectively were grownups and could choose whoever they wished to live with between their parents.
Akintayo also granted the order restraining the respondent from harassing, threatening, disturbing and interfering with the private life of the petitioner.