‘My wife denies me sex, disrespects me’, husband seeking dissolution tells court

A 39-year-old husband, Ibrahim Anifowoshe, on Friday told a Lagos Island Customary Court while seeking dissolution of his 12-year-old marriage that his wife denied him sex, disrespected and embarrassed him in the presence of his friends.
Anifowoshe, a National Union of Road Transport Worker (NURTW) official, told the court that his wife, Modinat embarrassed him at his work place in the presence of his colleagues.
“I want the dissolution of my marriage with Modinat because my wife denies me sex; for two years now she has stopped performing her sexual duties to me as my wife.
“She has no respect for me and my family, and embarrasses me everywhere.
“I was almost beaten to a pulp by a mob because my wife and her younger sister saw me on the street and started shouting that I was a thief.
“There were some people who knew me in the area that delivered me from the hands of crowd that had gathered and started beating me up.
“My wife has stopped allowing me come to the house and has seized the key to the house from me.
“I have tried to talk to her but to no avail; she insults members of my family who try to mediate.
“I do not love her again and I pray the court to separate us, order her to leave the house that I rented and give me my children since she is not ready to change from her troublesome ways,” Anifowoshe said.
The wife, Modinat, a mother of three who roasts and sells plantain, denied all the allegations that her husband levelled against her.
She said that her husband was the wicked one, who did not take care of her and the children.
According to her, he steals the proceeds that she makes from her petty business.
“Whenever we have any disagreements, my husband will come to my shop to destroy the things I use for roasting my plantain.
“He does not take care of me and our children; I married him and had the children when we had nothing and I believe now that he is working and has money.
“The children and I should be well taken care of.
“I do not want to be with him anymore; I also want a dissolution, but I cannot leave my children with him, I will do all that I can to take care of my children.
“I just pray the court to compel him to continue to pay their school fees.
“I do not allow him to come into the house because he usually forcefully pokes his hand in my private part and has injured me several times,” she said.
After listening to the two parties the president of the Court, Mr Saheed Lawal, said that the children’s welfare and well-being were of utmost importance to the court.
“The fact that the two of you are not at peace with each other does not mean that the children should suffer.  Their upkeep and education must be well taken care of,” he said.
Lawal urged the two parties to maintain peace and adjourned the case until November 21 for judgement.