Ibadan court ends 20-year marriage over domestic abuse

The Mapo Grade A Customary Court in Ibadan on Friday dissolved the 20-year-old marriage of Morufat Iyanda and Semiu Iyanda on the grounds of constant battery and lack of affection.

Ms Iyanda, a mother of five and a resident of the Amunloko area in Ibadan, claimed that her husband had made the marriage so miserable for her since the birth of their second child.

“My lord, Semiu normally unleash terror on me at home; in the market and sends me out of the house in the midnight. In fact, he has threatened that he would continue to beat me until I die from such beating.

“He has shown me no form of love, care and affection as it is one day, one trouble in his home. I moved out of his home since March 31, 2022, after I requested for our feeding allowance,” Ms Iyanda explained.

She asked the court to compel the respondent to be responsible for the children as he had totally neglected his fatherly role towards them. However, Mr Iyanda told the court that he had changed his attitude toward his wife because he was associated with people of questionable character immediately after she moved in with him.

Mr Iyanda, a businessman, said he warned Ms Iyanda against keeping bad friends, but she refused.

“My lord, this was the reason why I stopped eating the food prepared by her,” Mr Iyanda said.

The respondent also asked the court to dissolve the marriage and begged the court to award him the custody of the five children.

Delivering judgment, the president of the court, S.M. Akintayo, held that the customary marriage between Morufat and Semiu was valid based on the evidence adduced by the duo.

Ms Akintayo noted that she acted on the wishes of both parties to dissolve the marriage. Ms Akintayo granted custody of the last three children to the petitioner because they were females and minors before the law.

She, however, stated that the first two, who were 20 and 18 years respectively, were grownups and could choose whoever they wished to live with between their parents.

Ms Akintayo also granted the order restraining the respondent from harassing, threatening, disturbing and interfering with the private life of the petitioner.

(NAN)