A woman, Ronke Ogundare, has approached Grade A Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State praying that it stopped her 20-year-old wedlock to her husband, Segun Ogundare, on the accounts of irresponsibility, battery, violence and threat to life.

The plaintiff pleaded with the court to put their children in her custody and order her husband to be responsible for their upkeep.

Segun was absent in court despite being served court summonses.

Ronke in her testimony said: “My lord, I never enjoyed my 20-year-old marriage to my husband for a day. I had a bitter experience all through.

“Segun is a sadist. He denied me joy and treated me like a slave.

“He shirked his responsibility towards me and our children and neglected us.

“My husband was in the habit of beating me and would further go on to tear the clothes on me.

“He didn’t restrict this demeaning act to the house. He brought our marital problem to the office and would beat me to a pulp in the presence of our bosses and colleagues.

He turned me into a source of ridicule both in our neighbourhood and work place.

“We have been living separately for four years. I packed out of his house and moved back to my mother’s house, but he came there to beat me.

“He now trails me all over the place and once beat and tore my dress in the public.

“Segun has failed to be committed to our children’s welfare.

“He carries no responsibility towards their feeding and education. He left all these to me.

“My husband now threatens to disfigure me by bathing me with acid and later kill me.

“My lord, I have had enough of my husband’s atrocities and I fear that he can make real his threat.

“He has no love for our children. If he succeeds in killing me our children will suffer.

“I, therefore, beseech this honourable court to dissolve our union and handover our children to me.

“My lord, I also implore the court to rule that Segun takes up the upkeep of our children.

“I further pray that my husband be restrained from harassing me and carrying out his threat to kill me.”

The court president, Mrs S.M Akintayo adjourned the case till February 28.

Credit: Tribune