Silifatu Lawal, a saleswoman, filed a petition to dissolve her 20-year marriage to Oladimeji Lawal on Monday in a Mapo Grade A Customary Court in Ibadan due to frequent physical abuse and lack of affection.
Silifatu, a resident of the Sabo-Oke neighbourhood in Ilorin, Kwara, testified in court that as soon as she moved in with her husband, he started physically abusing her without cause.
“I was traumatised from Lawal’s physical abuse during my first pregnancy; I was forced to return to my parents home for proper medical care until I delivered my baby.
“After the naming ceremony, attended by Lawal and some of his relatives, we returned to my husband’s home, but he still refused to show either me or our child proper care,” Silifatu told the court.
The petitioner further said following her husband’s continued physical abuse, she had a stillbirth in 2006.
“I eventually moved all my belongings out of his home as I could no longer tolerate his maltreatment and lack of love from a man she called her husband,” Silifatu said.
However, the respondent, neither entered an appearance nor had a representation, in spite of warning notices, making the case to have suffered several adjournments.
Delivering judgment, the President of the court, Mrs S.M. Akintayo, held that since there was a valid customary marriage between the duo from the evidence tendered by the petitioner, the court had no option than to grant her request for dissolution of the marriage.
Akintayo, therefore, dissolved the marriage, citing incompatibility as the reason for her decision.
She granted custody of the two children to Silifatu and ordered Lawal to be responsible for their feeding, schooling and medical needs. (NAN)
