A woman, Rukaiat, has prayed for the dissolution of her marriage to her husband, Gafar, in a suit she filed at Grade A Customary Court, sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, on the grounds of irresponsibility, gambling, drunkenness and threat to her life by the latter.
Rukaiat pleaded for the custody of their child, whom, according to her, he had constantly neglected and starved.
She prayed the court to mandate her husband to be responsible for their child’s upkeep.
The plaintiff also sought an order restraining the defendant from threatening her and from interfering with her private life.’
Gafar, who was in court the first day the case was mentioned, acceded to divorce.
He also agreed that Rukaiat had custody of their child.
The defendant, however, denied the allegations of irresponsibility, gambling, and drunkenness brought against him.
He, however, failed to show up in court in the subsequent adjourned dates.
Rukaiat in her testimony told the court: “My husband is a drunk and gambler.
“I have had no rest of mind since I moved in with him after he paid my bride price.
“Our marriage is blessed with only a child who my husband found a herculean task taking care of.
“He constantly neglected me and our child and did starve us.
“My husband spent his income mainly on liquor.
“He would drink himself to stupor and stagger home, singing on top of his voice and disturbing our neighbours.
“He also gambles, which is another reason for his wretchedness.
“We fight almost every day because of his inadequacies.
“I moved out of his house after he turned me into a source of ridicule in our compound and neighbourhood.
“He took to threatening me after I left him.
“My husband went as far as hiring thugs who came to my shop to beat me up and destroy my goods.
“My lord, I pray that the court rule that we are no longer husband and wife.
“I also plead for the custody of our only child since my husband has failed in his responsibility towards her.
“I further request an order restricting my husband from threatening me and interfering with my private life.”
The court president, Mrs. S.M. Akintayo, gave her judgement on the matter, stating that the couple obviously had a valid customary marriage and that the bride price was paid.
According to her, the plaintiff had declared that she was no longer interested in their marriage, while the defendant also admitted to divorce.
Akintayo therefore ruled that the plaintiff and defendant ceased to be husband and wife.
She granted the plaintiff custody of their only child and ordered the defendant to be responsible for her upkeep, including feeding, education, and health care.
