A 35-year-old housewife, Yetunde Patunola, on Tuesday approached an Ado-Ekiti Customary Court, seeking dissolution of her 12-year-old marriage to Ojo Patunola.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the plaintiff wants the marriage dissolved on grounds of the respondent’s constants battery, destruction of properties, threat to life, harassment and lack of care for her and the children.
Yetunde, 35, a resident of Irelope Street, Ekute Quarters in Ado-Ekiti, told the court that, her husband was fond of beating her and destroying her properties because according to him, a wife is not allowed to rise above the husband.
She claimed that one of such assaults by the husband resulted in the loss of her second pregnancy.
According to the mother of four, often times when the beatings becomes too much and she tears his apparel in the process of defending herself, he will look for her best attire and shred it with a blade.
She said that he often defended his action by accusing her of infidelity when neighbours tried to intervene in their fights.
She alleged that her husband was fond of chasing her out of their home and threatening to pour her acid because she was flaunting her beauty.
Yetunde further claimed that her husband once brought a woman to the house and ordered her to pack out because she brought him nothing but misfortune.
The petitioner therefore prayed the court to grant her wish and also custody of their four children.
In his response, Ojo, 37, a resident of No 15, Omisanjana, 132KV in Ado-Ekiti, admitted that he and the wife fought constantly because of her infidelity, but denied all the other allegations.
He, however, said it was after the birth of their last child two years ago that she started misbehaving because she started keeping bad company.
He alleged that there was a time, he seized her mobile phone that a man bought for her.
The respondent claimed that whenever he offered to take her to her shop, she would refuse saying she did not want to sit in his worthless car.
He alleged lack of care by the plaintiff saying she had refused to sleep with him and that it had been a while they had any sexual relationship.
Ojo said Yetunde came to pack her things when he caught her the previous day with a man in front of a hotel.
He also claimed that the wife had tried to stab him with a knife.
The respondent agreed to the divorce and asked for custody of his children, especially the first two, while the last two remained with their mother till they were old enough to stay with him.
The President of the Court, Mrs Olayinka Akomolede, after the submissions of both parties, adjourned the case until Feb. 27 for judgment. (NAN)
