A man, identified as Adekola, has asked the Grade A Customary Court sitting in Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, to dissolve his marriage, accusing his wife, Olaitan, of infidelity, violence and lack of support.
Adekola told the court that his wife allegedly returned home late at night on one occasion in the company of another man and climbed the fence into their compound after discovering that he had locked the gate.
The plaintiff said he took photographs of the incident, which he claimed showed the man assisting his wife to scale the fence, and presented them as evidence before the court.
According to him, he had travelled out of town on a business trip but returned earlier than expected and found the house empty. He said he subsequently locked the compound gate while waiting for his wife to return.
Adekola alleged that Olaitan later arrived late at night with another man and, upon discovering that the gate was locked, climbed the fence with the assistance of the man before jumping into the compound.
He further accused his wife of being aggressive and violent, alleging that she frequently turned disagreements into physical confrontations and attacked him with objects within her reach.
The plaintiff claimed that she once pulled a knife on him during an argument and nearly stabbed him.
He also alleged that she attempted to damage his car by breaking its windscreen during another dispute.
Adekola told the court that his marriage became more difficult after his business collapsed, saying his wife allegedly failed to support him during the financial crisis.
He said he had borrowed N100,000 from his father-in-law and was pressured by his wife to repay the money despite his financial difficulties. According to him, he eventually sold a piece of land to settle the debt.
The plaintiff alleged that his wife subsequently insisted that he invest the remaining money in her business, adding that she had continued to threaten him over disagreements.
He also accused Olaitan of having relationships with other men, claiming that some of them often took her out and dropped her at home late at night when he was away.
Adekola said he had recordings of some of the alleged threats on his phone and urged the court to end the marriage, which he said was no longer sustainable.
He also requested custody of their children, stating that he intended to enrol them in boarding school. He further asked the court to restrain his wife from threatening him or interfering with his privacy.
Olaitan denied the allegations made against her but reportedly agreed to the dissolution of the marriage.
The President of the court, Mrs S.M. Akintayo, adjourned the matter for the defence.