A 48-year-old man, Philip Owolabi, has dragged his estranged wife, Fatimo Owolabi, before a Customary Court sitting in Agbeloba, Abeokuta, Ogun State, for always buying food items on credit without his consent.
Owolabi in a suit numbered: IK/140/2018 told the court that he wanted to divorce his wife because she was not always satisfied with the money he was always giving her for the purchase of food items for the family.
The man, who said he only earned little as a welder, accused his wife of 17 years of mismanaging his money and putting him in unexpected debt.
He said that his wife was fond of raining curses and abusive words on him as well as using dangerous weapons to fight him whenever they had any disagreement, saying that he had reported to her family several times to call her to order over her troublesome behavior to no avail.
Owolabi, however, prayed the court to dissolve their marriage on the grounds that his wife had become fond of buying food items on credit without his knowledge, lack of love, stubbornness, fomenting trouble and being disrespectful and using dangerous weapons to fight him whenever they had an argument.
The welder also appealed to the court to grant him the custody of their three children and to also restrain his wife from coming to foment trouble in his house, place of work or harass him anywhere in public.
He said, “My wife buys food items on credit without my consent, despite the amount of money I give her to buy food items. I am a welder with little amount of money to spend. I only give to my wife what I have to buy food items, but she is not always satisfied and would always go at my back to buy food items on credit.
“My wife is also fond of cursing and abusing me; not only that, she is fond of using dangerous weapons on me whenever we have a disagreement. I am tired of our 17 years marriage and I want to divorce her.
“I want this honourable court to restrain my wife from coming to my house and place of work to cause trouble, molest or harass me anywhere and I also want this honourable court to grant me the custody of my three children.”
In her defence, the housewife accepted every allegations of buying food items on credit without her husband’s knowledge as well as other allegations leveled against her by her
husband.
Fatimo, however, prayed the court to prevail on her husband not to divorce her, noting that she would henceforth change for better to save her marriage and future of her children.
“I want this honourable court to help me to beg my husband that I will change for good and will no longer buy food on credit without his consent and will not foment any trouble again. I don’t want my husband to divorce me because I am considering the future of the three children I have for him,” she
said.
In his ruling, the President of the court, Chief, J.A.O Sofolahan, pleaded with the husband to allow for peace to reign in his family and heed the plea of his wife that their marriage should not be dissolved because of the children.
Owolabi accepted his wife’s plea and the court enjoined the couple to return to their home and continue to live in peace.
