An Ibadan-based security officer, Mr. Opeyemi Babatunde, on Monday told Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan that his wife forced him to marry another woman because she starved him of sex for seven years.
Responding to his wifeโs allegation of constant battery, unfair treatment and irresponsibility, Opeyemi informed the court that he consented to part ways with his wife Eunice Babatunde because of her โterrible way of life.โ
โMy lord, for seven years now, Eunice has refused to allow me to have sexual intercourse with her, leaving me with no other option than to look elsewhere to satisfy my sexual urge.
โBefore she finally stopped consenting to my sexual advances, Eunice dictated the time I must touch her, sometimes once in two weeks, or a month.
โI eventually married another woman, for whom I got accommodation outside our home, but she requested that I bring my new wife home.
โBesides, Eunice has become a witch doctor in my matrimonial home, because of her actions. At various times in the house, I have caught her making incantations and mixing substances into black soap and native sponge.
โTo confirm what I am saying, ask Eunice to open her dress and you will find all sorts of incisions all over her body.โโ
Babatunde also accused his estranged wife of infidelity.
โAs if that is not enough, Eunice engaged in prostitution. In fact, her lovers call her day and night, even in my presence.
โCan you believe that she even followed a man named Lolade, one of her secret lovers, to Lagos recently for three days?
โI have been buying foodstuff myself and I have been responsible,โ Opeyemi stated.
Earlier, Eunice, a nurse, had petitioned the court to put an end to the union with her husband.
In addition to the allegation of battery and irresponsibility which the plaintiff leveled against her husband, she also wanted the court to compel the respondent to stop threatening her life.
โMy lord, apart from the fact that Opeyemi frequently beats me, he does not cater for our two childrenโs education and feeding.
โOpeyemi does not want me to progress, because immediately he got to know that I have started building my own house, his behaviour changed totally and he began to hate me.
โHe has been searching everywhere for my pictures, definitely, he wants to do something diabolic to me.
โOpeyemi is indebted to me to the tune of N190,000 which I borrowed him to buy a car; and he has only refunded N30,000.
โWorse still, he only caters for his new wife and child, thus abandoning my own children,โ Eunice accused her husband.
The Courtโs President, Ademola Odunade, however, observed that Opeyemi was guilty of not caring for his first wife and children.
Odunade advised men to stop maltreating their wives and children, so as to earn Godโs favour.
โIn the interest of peace, the union between Eunice and Opeyemi has ceased to be.
โCustody of the two children produced by the union is awarded to Eunice; and Opeyemi is hereby ordered to pay N10,000 as the childrenโs monthly feeding allowance.
โThe respondent shall also be responsible for their education and other welfare,โ the arbitrator said.
The plaintiff and the respondent live at Alomaja Area of Ibadan.
