A divorce-seeking woman, Busayo Olaibi, has told a Mapo Grade A Customary Court in Ibadan to dissolve her 13-year-old union with her estranged husband, Biodun, on grounds of threat to life and exploitation.
Olaibi, a medicine dealer, said she had learnt her lesson in a very bitter way by falling in love with Biodun who allegedly paid her back with ingratitude and cruelty.
“My lord, after I had carried a pregnancy for about 10 months, I had some problems and my mother in-law introduced me to a medical doctor for a caesarean section, which, unknown to me, was not properly done.
“I developed further complications, hence I lost so much blood. Later, a very offensive odour started oozing out of my body, and my husband and his relatives did not do anything to help.
“However, my brother visited and took me to the Adeoyo State Hospital where a cut in my belly was treated and stitched. This was the saving grace for me because, I would have died by now if not for my brother’s effort,” Olaibi said.
The petitioner further informed the court that her husband and his relatives allegedly turned her into a money-making venture, allegedly exploiting and making her bankrupt.
“Before the childbirth problem, I acted as a guarantor for Biodun in securing a N350,000 loan for land acquisition and another N300,000 for his mother.
“It was only Biodun’s mother that refunded only N60,000 out of N300,000.
“In fact, he had constantly subjected me to battery and there is no more affection between us. Biodun has since stopped coming to his matrimonial home,” Olaibi said.
Biodun, the respondent, was absent when he was called to respond to the allegations levelled against him.
The bailiff told the court that he had served court notices on the respondent on several occasions, but that he chose to decline appearance.
Delivering judgment, the court’s President, Mrs. S.M. Akintayo, held that there was no marriage to be dissolved between Olaibi and Biodun since there was no payment of bride price or performance of any essential rites.
Akintayo, however, granted the order restraining the respondent from harassing, threatening, disturbing and interfering in the personal life of the petitioner henceforth.
She also directed the duo to maintain peace, law and order. (NAN)
