24th March, 2011
A housewife who accused her estranged husband of making her to undergo rituals in order to be rich has asked an Agege Grade ‘A’ Customary Court, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria to dissolve her marriage.
The petitioner, Abimbola Adewale, 31, told the court that she married her husband, Nurudeen Adewale, 35, a farmer, nine years ago and had two children for him, Halid Adewale, eight and Aisha Adewale, six years old.
Narrating how her estranged husband made her to undergo rituals for money-making, Abimbola said: â€My husband was always telling me that he wanted to be rich. One day, he took me to a herbalist to use me for money-making rituals. The herbalist gave me something to drink and I fell asleep for three days. When I woke up the third day, I found out that the herbalist had made incisions on my head and some parts of my body.
“When I asked my husband to know what the incisions were meant for, he told me they were made for spiritual assistance. Days after, I fell sick and was told by the doctor in the hospital where I was rushed to that I have shortage of blood. I nearly died but God saved me. Please, sir, I want this marriage dissolved.â€
She also described the respondent as an untruthful, irresponsible and uncaring husband, adding that for months in her tumultous marriage to the respondent, she did not receive feeding allowance.
She explained further that the union between her and the respondent should be dissolved because he packed out of the house without telling her where he was going.
Responding to the allegations, the respondent who lives at 25, Akinwunmi Street, Egbeda, Lagos described the petitioner as a wayward woman who has no respect for him. He said he was not objecting to the dissolution of the marriage and urged the court to grant the petitioner custody of the two children of the marriage.
He promised to take care of the expenses for the children’s wellbeing by paying N10,000 for feeding and N2,000 as medical allowance. The money, he assured, would be paid in the first week of every month.
The president of the court, Mr. E. B. Shokunle adjourned ruling in the matter till 23 March, 2011 and warned the parties to maintain the peace.
—Ibrahim Bakare.
