An Ibadan-based man, Ajayi Babatunde on Monday asked a Grade A Customary Court at Mapo, in the ancient city, to dissolve his union with estranged wife, Basirat on ground of her constant repulsiveness and nagging.
Babatunde, an electrician who resides at Idi-Arere area in Ibadan, explained that he filed the suit because he could no longer cope with his wife’s hatred for him and his relatives.
“My lord, Basirat was betrothed to me because my marriage to her was basically an arrangement between my parents and Basirat’s parents.
“I did not partake in the whole marital episode that led to her movement into my home.
“I don’t know why she so detests my family members because she doesn’t want to see them and I’m tired of our togetherness.
“I want the court to grant me custody of the three children,” Babatunde said.
He added that he would continue to take care of the children as he had always done through his sister.
Consenting to the suit, the respondent argued that her estranged husband was grossly irresponsible.
Basirat who earned her livelihood as a native sponge trader, submitted that her husband was a smoker and a drunk who normally returned home in the dead of the night.
”Babatunde’s mother usually fights me and the entire family is troublesome.
“It is true that my marriage to Babatunde was an arrangement between my parents and his.
So, they did not pay bride price on me.
“Furthermore, he does not respect my relatives and he is not responsible to the children.
“Believe me, Babatunde usually gives the three children only N500 or N200 as feeding allowance.
“In fact, he has since stopped giving them money when I took them away.
“Babatunde will not take care of the children properly because he gives them to his mother who doesn’t cater for them,” Basirat said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ages of the three children are 12, 13 and 15.
The President of the court, Mrs S.M. Akintayo advised the couple to maintain peace and requested them to produce the children in court.
Akintayo adjourned the suit until March 3 for judgment.
