A man, Joel Olateju has approached Oja Oba/ Mapo Court C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, seeking that it end the relationship between him and his wife, Blessing Olateju.
Joel explained in court that his wife was a difficult person to live with.
According to him, Blessing was stubborn and never contended with whatever he provided her.
He further stated that she humiliates him in the presence of their children.
Joel added that the last time they had sex was in 2011.
The plaintiff told the court he had bore enough with the defendant and that he didn’t wish to go any further in their marriage.
Joel begged the court if his prayer was answered to grant him custody of their 16-year-old son who is a male.
Blessing refused to appear in court despite being served court summons thrice.
The court president, Chief Ademola Odunade, giving his judgment stated that the defendant’s refusal to come to court showed she was no longer interested in her marriage.
Giving his judgment, Odunade pronounced their marriage dissolved.
He gave custody of their 16-year-old child, a male, to the plaintiff and the younger, a female to the defendant.
The plaintiff was ordered to give the defendant N5, 000 every month for their daughter’s feeding and be responsible for her education and medical attention.
He had earlier told the court: “My lord, I have done all in my ability to make my wife happy and keep our marriage, but Blessing has kept frustrating me.
“My wife started showing lack of interest in me a few months after we got married.
“Immediately she got pregnant with our first child, she took to complaining and nagging.
“Blessing complained that I was not giving her adequate attention.
“The more I tried to please her, the more distant she became.
“She stopped having sex with me after her first pregnancy and insisted we were not having any other baby.
“Blessing agreed to carry the second pregnancy only after I sought her family members’ intervention.
“My lord, she has been denying me sex since 2001 after she had our second child, “the plaintiff stated.
Joel added that, “Blessing relocated to Lagos after she secured a better job and went with our children. I, therefore, shuttle between Lagos and Ibadan so as to be with them at the weekends.
“I go to Lagos with foodstuff on regular basis and this apart from giving my wife monthly allowance to run the home.
“The frequent journeys gradually took its toll on my health while I also face hazards and once escaped death by the whiskers when attacked by armed robbers. Blessing never for once showed appreciation for all my efforts.
“My lord, she denied me access to our children and painted me black before them. She lied that I never sent her money for her and our children’s upkeep.
“She also told our children that I am backward and uncivilized. She made our children believe I live in a bush. Blessing refused to travel down to Ibadan to spend time with me or allow our children to spend their holidays at my place.
“I started building a house in Ibadan and had raised it to the lintel, but had to sell it at a ridiculous amount of N700, 000 since my wife showed no interest in the project.
“I again raised N3, 000, 000 to buy a two-bedroom flat in Lagos and my wife advised that I put her aunt’s name on its documents.
“My lord, Blessing went behind me to change the name on the documents to hers and claimed ownership of the house.
“She also removed our marriage certificate from the file I kept it.
“She in addition changed her phone number which made communicating with her impossible for more than a year.
“My lord, when I eventually had access to her, she started threatening to divorce me.
“Her family members mediated in our difference but she insisted she was leaving me.
“Well respected spiritual leaders also did all they could to persuade her to change her mind but she still remained adamant.
“She has presently blocked every avenue of getting in touch with her.
“My lord, I have decided I want to move on with life. I want this court to end our marriage so that I can pick up the pieces of my life.
“I entreat this court to grant me custody of our only male child so that I can impart on him positively as a man, “Joel concluded.
