when a couple pleading that their marriage be dissolved presented
their case to the court. They also did what can only be described as
washing their dirty linen in the public.
Adesuwa Oluwalere, the petitioner, who lives at 18b, Kayode Joseph
St., Powerline, Oke- ira, Ogba, told the court that her husband had
made love to her in the presence of her mother. She told the court to
dissolve her 12-year-old marriage over threat to her life and frequent
beating.
According to her, "My husband had wanted to make love to me in the
presence of our children but I refused. He then beat me mercilessly to
the extent of removing one of my teeth… If my husband has money, he
won't give me and the children, he prefers to go to the club and
declare surplus and when the money is finished, he comes home to steal
my money."
She continues: "We live in one room but my husband won't wait till mid
night when our children will be asleep before drawing my pants… My
husband started going to white garment church since April and so he
brings home different colours of candle, he told me that his priest
said he should throw me out of the house… He left the church we were
both going because he accused me of going out with our pastor and I am
fed up with all of this behaviour, " she said. She then told the court
that she wanted the marriage to be dissolved and also wanted the
custody of the children.
However, in his own response, the husband, Ibukun, 39, denied some of
the allegations. His own case: "My wife flirts with different men; she
even goes to the extent of sending money and recharge cards to them
from my money… I traced her to where she was going one day and saw her
entering an hotel, the man she was going to meet had already waited
for her… She, however, told me she was going to night vigil in the
church. When she came back the next morning, I saw that her pant was
wet with sperm. So, why won't I beat her?"
"I saw a lot of love text messages on her phone, and the account
number of one of her lovers and the one she sent to him that she had
paid the money… She has denied me sex since April because she goes
about sleeping with different men, whereas I don't have a girl
friend," he said.
Also, in a rather funny twist to their story, Ibukun told the court
that if his wife was ready to reconcile with him, she had to be three
month pregnant for him: "I told her in April that I still want a
fourth child and she denied me access to herself. I am ready to take
her back if she agrees to my terms," he said.
Meanwhile, in his ruling the Court President, Mr Emmanuel Sokunle told
the couple to go back home and call their families for settlement:
"Maintain the peace while you are on reconciliation moves," he
advised. He then adjourned the case to Oct. 22, for further hearing.