FAMILY LAW, MARRIAGE & DIVORCE 08/03/2024
Wife Accuses Husband of ‘Abandoning Our Matrimonial Bed’
A mild drama played out at the Area Court, Centre-Igboro, Ilorin, Kwara State on Thursday when one Aminat Nagode-Allah burst into tears while accusing her husband of abandoning their matrimonial bed.
Nagode-Allah had approached the court seeking to divorce her husband, Ismail Gobir, on grounds of lack of love and care to her and the children.
The applicant, while explaining how her husband had abandoned their matrimonial bed for months, could not, however, hold her emotions as she burst into tears.
“He does not care about how I feel, and he has stopped asking where I get the food I cook for the family from; he just eats and goes out every day.
“He has abandoned our matrimonial bed for me and the children, as he now sleeps on the couch in the living room, without any affection or care.
“I struggle to sell Garri for a living and even go around to borrow money in order to feed the family, but my husband does not care to know,” she said.
She, therefore, prayed the court to dissolve the Islamic marriage between the two parties.
In his response, Gobir told the court he had some challenges in his business and could not, as a result, provide for the family.
According to him, things were not like this before.
While acknowledging the hard work and efforts of his wife in providing for the family, he accused her of coming home late and answering too many phone calls.
Nevertheless, he said he was still interested in the marriage and pleaded for more time to enable him to settle amicably with his wife.
The presiding judge, Hammad Ajumonbi, blamed the respondent for abandoning his matrimonial bed and for his lack of love and affection.
Ajumonbi told the wife to exercise more patience and endurance as all marriages have their challenges.
Nonetheless, he said while marriage should not be forced on anyone, there must be room for settlement, especially when children are involved.
The court adjourned the case until March 20 for report of settlement.