Mr. Kazeem Yekini, a man seeking a divorce, claimed to be blackmailed and harassed by his wife before a Mapo Grade A Customary Court in Ibadan on Thursday.
He begged the court to end his marriage to Opeyemi, his estranged wife, claiming that the relationship had destroyed his life.
He claimed that Opeyemi had a history of using blackmail to harm him wherever he went and ruining his reputation.
Yekini said that his wife had put him under a spell that had caused him great suffering and promised to keep blackmailing him throughout Ibadan.
“As if all of this wasn’t enough, she confines me to a room and keeps me from going about my everyday business.
Yekini claimed, “She also took my car keys and invited the Amotekun’ corps, the Southwest’s security network, to deal with me without cause.”
He testified in court that family members and neighbors never tried to step in “because they are afraid of her.”
During cross-examination, Opeyemi did not refute any of the accusations made against her.
Rather, she implored the court to assist her in reaching a peaceful conclusion.
It is accurate to say that I have been battling with my spouse for no reason at all.
But I did all in my power to appease him before he made the decision to appear in court, and he would not hear my cries for forgiveness.
Opeyemi implored the court to give her custody of their only child “if he sticks to his position.”
The couple’s marriage was not legally consummated, according to Mrs. S.M. Akintayo, the court president, who made this observation in her ruling.
She emphasized that there was no proof presented to the court that Yekini paid Opeyemi’s bride price during their cohabitation.
She went on to clarify that further requirements set down by customary law for a lawful marriage were not presented before Yekini and Opeyemi started to live as husband and wife.
She concluded that there was no marriage to be dissolved in the first place.
Akintayo awarded custody of the only child produced by the union to Opeyemi and ordered Yekini to pay a monthly allowance of N10,000 for the child’s upkeep.
She ruled that the duo could go their separate ways but ordered them to maintain peace and order. (NAN)
