Bunmi Ayoola, a woman stuck in an abusive relationship has pleaded with an Oja Oba/Mapo, Court C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, to end the marriage between her and her husband, Makinwa Ayoola.
Bunmi claimed that her husband not only gets drunk and beats her up, he was also accused of being passive about the welfare of their family.
She said “My lord, I can count on my fingertips the number of times my husband gave me and our children feeding allowance since we got married 16 years ago. He would ask me to use my lean income to cook with a promise of paying back, but he never did.”
“Anytime I asked for a refund of my money he would turn it into a fight. My children and I survive each day through grace. The children and I leave home in the morning with empty stomach. I cook only once a day which is in the evening.”
“Despite the fact that he leaves no money for food, he’s always the first to ask for food after I have finished cooking.”
“He’s not interested in our children’s education. I’ve been the one paying their school fees. I also buy their textbooks and exercise books. Any time the children were asked to pay for anything in school, he would ask them to come to me”
“He complains almost every day of the paucity of fund, but he has money to drink liquor. He can drink a carton of beer at a go, while he doesn’t get satisfied until he’s drunk.”
“He will stagger home singing and disturbing the whole neighborhood. He will also turn the house upside down and beat mercilessly if I dare complain of his foolish ways.”
“My lord, there is no day he doesn’t beat me. He would have killed me if not for our neighbors who often come to my rescue. On many occasions, he will kick and punch me and has once attempted to strangle me. He hit me with sharp objects on my head twice and I ended up being admitted in the hospital.”
“I have moved out of his house not less than thrice because of his beatings, but his family members were always appealing to me to persevere because of our children.”
“My lord, I have come to court so that he doesn’t cut my life short suddenly.”
In response Makinwa retorted
“I don’t drink, neither have I ever raised my hand to beat my wife since we got married.”
“It is true that we quarrel, but she uses this as an opportunity to go to her parents. Whenever she’s ready to come back, I take her back.”
“I’m a responsible man, I feel frustrated because I don’t have money.”
the judgement of the court president, Chief Ademola Odunade, was to dissolve their marriage and granted custody of their four children Bunmi
The defendant was ordered to pay N10,000 monthly as child support fees as well as being responsible for their education.