‘She wears bum shorts, keeps concubines’ — court grants man’s divorce request

A customary court sitting in Ile-Tuntun, Ibadan, has dissolved a 12-year-old marriage between Rowland Ogunebo and Blessing, his estranged wife, over alleged indecent dressing, disrespect, and adultery.

Henry Agbaje, the court’s president, granted Rowland’s request for the dissolution after hearing both parties’ pleas.

From facts before the court, Agbaje held that the dissolution of the marriage was the best thing in the interest of peaceful living between the two parties. He stated that it was not possible for two captains to steer a ship.

During his application, Rowland, who is an accountant and Ibadan resident, made some claims against his wife.

He alleged Blessing “dresses indecently wearing miniskirts, bum shorts and, skimpy clothes that expose her body”.

“Anytime I try to correct her, she’ll rain abuses on me. She tells me to go and die; that she’ll bury me,” he said.

“Moreover, Blessing is fond of leaving her matrimonial home for three days or more to stay with her concubines. Most times, she would tell me that she was going to visit her aunt, claims that the aunt usually denied.

“In addition, Blessing usually derides and belittles me everywhere. Our pastor’s advice to her to be of good behaviour has also fallen on her dead ears.

“In fact, she inflicted a very serious injury on me when I challenged her for buying wrong drugs for our child who fell ill and I had to report her at Orita-Challenge police station.

“If I give Blessing money to buy food in the house, she will spend only one-third of it on food and the rest on her make-ups. Worst still, she has no regard for any of my family members.”

Although the respondent denied all the allegations, she pleaded with the court to refuse the plaintiff’s application for divorce. She further noted that she still loved her husband because of her children.

“My lord, when I had issues with my first husband, somebody advised me to seek counsel and prayer from Rowland to overcome the problem. But, instead of assisting me with prayer, he impregnated,” Blessing told the court.

Agbaje, who noted that Blessing’s declaration of war on her husband was dangerous, ruled that the best solution was to grant the plaintiff’s plea for dissolution of the marriage in the interest of peace and tranquility.

The court, however, granted custody of the two children produced by the union to the respondent. It also ordered the plaintiff to pay N10,000 as their monthly feeding allowance.

According to the court, the plaintiff must take responsibility for the children’s education and other basic needs.