Woman drags husband to court over threat to life

A middleaged woman, Mariam Adegoke has dragged her husband, Akeem before a Grade C Customary Court sitting in Agodi area of Ibadan over alleged death threat. Mariam, who resides with her husband and children at Apetere area of Ibadan, wants their 18-year-old marriage dissolved because she suffered a heavy burden in the marriage.
She complained that she could not leave her husband, before now because his first wife died two years after divorcing him.
“I’m his second wife and I had wanted to divorce him before now, but he threatened me that any woman that divorces him would die. And I learnt his first wife died two years after divorcing him.
“So, I’m pleading with this court to help dissolve this union so I can go my way,” she told the court.
According to her, Akeem had not been taking care of her and the children but depended on her business for his financial needs.
“He has no job to support the family, but rather depends on me. I have been through a lot with him, but what further made me make up my mind is the fact that he also beats me.”
Akeem, while responding to the allegation, said he never threatened his wife. He explained that he was not ready to divorce Mariam because of their children.
Akeem a businessman turned farmer said when things became difficult, he went into farming in order to make ends meet and sustain the family. He said he still provides food for his family and also assisted his wife in setting up a business to assist her financially.
“I never threatened her with death and I never wanted her dead because I want us to reap the fruits of our labour. I take care of my family to the best of my ability and the children know. I don’t want this marriage dissolved because I want our children to be well brought up and responsible in our society,” Akeem said.
Their 17 year-old son, Tunde, when summoned before the court as his father’s witness affirmed to the discord between his parents but pleaded that the court reunite them for the benefit of he and his siblings.
“I don’t want our family apart and that was why I had all my siblings stay home hoping this will make our parents reconcile”, he said.
The presiding court president, Chief Amusa Makinde, who observed that the duo can still be reconciled adjourned the case till September 9 for possibility of any positive development.