A Grade A Customary Court sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, has delivered judgment in a suit brought by a man, Hakeem, against his wife, Idayat, whom he accused of being aggressive and disrespectful to his family members, friends and neighbours.
Hakeem told the court that his wife’s hostile behaviour had driven his relatives and friends away from him, adding that she turned their home into a battlefield. He alleged that Idayat repeatedly denied his first wife and her children access to him and would fight them whenever they tried to enter his apartment.
According to the plaintiff, his wife constantly threatened and assaulted him, making life unbearable. He claimed that she often chased him with a cutlass during arguments and threatened to kill him.
Hakeem said he eventually left the house when he feared for his life, but alleged that his wife continued to attack him whenever they crossed paths.
In addition to seeking a divorce, he asked the court to restrain Idayat from threatening or interfering with his private life and also sought custody of their children.
In his testimony, Hakeem said he met Idayat about 20 years ago and that they only held an introduction ceremony after a brief courtship, without paying a bride price. He expressed regret over the relationship, stating that her attitude changed after they began living together.
He described her as unfriendly to his relatives, friends and neighbours, accusing her of constant arguments, disrespect and violent behaviour. He insisted that her conduct made his life miserable and unsafe.
Idayat, however, denied all the allegations and opposed the dissolution of the relationship, citing the welfare of their children. She claimed she had been solely responsible for the upbringing of their four children.
She urged the court to compel her husband to pay N70,000 monthly for the children’s feeding and to take full responsibility for their education and health care. She also insisted that she did not want Hakeem to have custody of the children, describing them as still too young.
Delivering judgment, the court president, Mrs O.E. Owoseni, ruled that there was no valid marriage to dissolve, as no customary marriage had been conducted between the parties.
She noted that the allegations of threats were not challenged by the defendant, which amounted to an admission. Consequently, the court issued an order restraining Idayat from threatening or interfering with Hakeem’s private life.
The court granted custody of the children to Idayat, with reasonable access granted to Hakeem. It further ordered the plaintiff to be responsible for the children’s upkeep, including their feeding, education and health care.
