My wife beats me at will, separate us, man tells court

A retiree, Taofeek Giwa, on Friday, prayed an Idi-Ogungun Customary Court, Agodi, Ibadan, Oyo State, to dissolve the seven-year-old marriage with Abiodun Omotayo, on the ground that the respondent beats him at will.
Giwa, who recently retired from the Nigerian Prisons Service, on June 9, filed a suit, seeking dissolution of the marriage.
In his testimony, the petitioner said Omotayo had turned him to a punching bag and that she constantly beats him.
According to Giwa, the defendant always used the advantage of her huge stature to oppress and treat him as inferior to her.
“She beats me on any slight provocation, I dare not correct her mistake, in fact she is in the habit of tearing my cloth.
“My lord, the worst she did recently was that she poisoned my meal in an attempt to kill me and I am not ready to die now.
“I plead with the court to separate us to avoid untimely death so that I can take care of my children and enjoy the fruits of my labour.
“This is because I just retired from active service to my country and I want to enjoy the fruit of my labour.’’ Giwa said.
Omotayo in her defence, denied all the allegations, but told the court that the petitioner was the one who used to pursue her with machete.
She agreed with the divorce request, saying she was tired of living with the plaintiff because of his adulterous life.
She, however, prayed the court to grant him custody of the only child of the marriage for proper upbringing.
President of the court, Mukaila Balogun, dissolved the marriage and gave the custody of the only child to the respondent.
Balogun further ordered the plaintiff to pay N3, 000 monthly allowance to the defendant for the maintenance of the child.
He appealed to both parties to maintain peace and jointly take care of the only child of the marriage.