‘My husband gave me blows, chased me around with knife when I was pregnant with twins’

Grade A Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, has ruled that a couple, Balikis and Yekini, go their different ways.

Balikis, who dragged her husband, Yekini, to court, accused him of irresponsibility, battery and alleged that he was a threat to her life.

Balikis stated that  Yekini constantly neglected and starved her.

She added that he was also in the habit of beating her.

According to Balikis, Yekini did not relent in beating her even when she was pregnant with twins.

The plaintiff further told the court that the defendant, in addition to battery, threatened her with a knife.

Balikis told the court that she resorted to hawking cooked beans and yam three months after she was delivered of their twins children to avoid dying of hunger.

The plaintiff stated that she had to walk out of their marriage to avoid being beaten to death by her husband.

Balikis pleaded that the court grant her custody of their children but make her husband in charge of their upkeep.

She also requested an order restricting him from threatening,  fighting and also interfering with her private life.

Yekini was absent in court despite being served court summonses.

Balikis, in her testimony, said: “My husband and I contracted no marriage. We met and started living together as husband and wife.

“He also did not pay any dowry on me.

“My husband started showing traits of irresponsibility from the outset of our marriage. He would leave for work  without giving me money to eat and run the home.

“He only bore the title ‘breadwinner’ but never acted it out.

“I was fending for myself despite living under his roof.

“He never gave me a dime, but would expect that I served him sumptuous meals on his return home.

“The situation in our marriage got worse after I became pregnant with twins.

“He would get angry anytime I demanded money for antenatal treatment in the hospital or for the purchase of our  babies’ needs.

“I singlehandedly provided all that was necessary in preparation for the arrival of our babies.

"My husband is a brute indeed.

He beat me at every given opportunity and never showed any sign of remorse.

“The beating became double whenever I insisted he would not leave home unless he made provisions for my needs.

“The fact that I was heavily pregnant did not debar him from punching me.

“He once chased me with a knife, threatening to kill me after we had a heated argument on his nonchalance towards me.

"He subjected me to a miserable life which made weep and bemoan my fate every day.

“The coming of our twins brought no difference to our relationship.

“Instead of looking fresh with added beauty after putting to bed, I became lean and haggard as a result of hunger.

“I was breastfeeding two children at a time on an empty stomach. Our children also looked malnourished because they could not get enough milk to suck from me.

“I was left with no other option than to start hawking beans and yam under the scorching sun when our children were just three months old.

“My husband, despite seeing the hardship he exposed me to, refused to take a new leaf. He rather became more cruel.

“The only contribution my husband made towards our children’s welfare was paying half of their school fees while I paid the balance.

“I moved out of his house after he dealt me heavy blows for daring to  demand that he refilled our gas cylinder.

“He came to my new abode to forcefully collect our twins from me and handed them over to his mother. Our children were underfed and out of school for a whole year.

“I brought them back to my house and enrolled them in school. They are now happy and  doing fine in school.

“My husband never ceased to come to my shop to threaten and fight me since I left him.

“I beseech this honourable court to grant me custody of our children but make my husband responsible for their upkeep giving adequate attention to their feeding, education and health care.

“I also request an order restraining him from threatening, fighting and interfering with my private life.”

The court president, Mrs S.M Akintayo, giving her judgment stated that there was no marriage to be dissolved because none was contracted in the first place.

According to her, no customary marriage held an no bride price was paid.

Akintayo added that it was necessary to grant the plaintiff the relief she sought since she was no more interested in her union, adding that the defendant was given ample opportunity to defend himself but that he refused to come to court.

Ruling, she declared their union dissolved.

Akintayo granted custody of their children to the plaintiff while the defendant was mandated to be responsible for their upkeep.

She further restricted him from threatening, fighting, and interfering with the plaintiff’s private life.