Naval Officer To Divorce Cantankerous 2nd Wife

A naval officer, Samson Toluremi Taiwo, has narrated before an Ojo Grade ‘A’ Customary Court, Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria, how his infidelity with a salesgirl in a canteen cost him happiness, peace and harmony he once enjoyed with his wife of 30 years.

The father of six in his divorce petition before the court accused his estranged second wife, Mrs. Hope Ifeanyi Taiwo, of charming him to marry her, an act he described as the worst mistake of his life.

“It was in 2003 that I noticed this hardworking girl who devoted all her time and might to her job in a food canteen. As early as 2 a.m. when I go there to eat my breakfast, she will be there. Most nights too when I close late from work, I will meet her there cleaning and washing.

“I was moved by her commitment and I summoned courage one day and asked how much she was being paid for her strenuous work. I was shocked when she told me she earns N50 per day, apart from the three meal she is given everyday,” he said.

He explained that shortly after, he established a cordial relationship with her and set up a provisions store for her.

“Initially, I wanted us to be partners in business because I owned the capital, but as time goes on, we started having sex and my plans changed. I took her to my personal house that was under construction while my first wife and children were still living in my government quarters inside the barracks.

“The first day I took her there, she decided to start living there and refused to go back to her house. That was the beginning of our incidental marriage. After sleeping with her for weeks, I decided to go and pay her dowry in her hometown in Delta State, South-South Nigeria,” he said.

Taiwo told the court further that shortly after his family moved into the house, things changed for the worse.

“Hope is either fighting with my grown up daughters or with my first wife over minor things. She’s a trouble maker. She fights over oranges, rice, beans, clothes, soup and so on. Her penchant for stirring quarrels is unbearable. She threatened to kill and render my family useless.

“I know every desperate and troubled woman could go to any length to get what she wants. The charm that she used on me is no longer potent because I have stopped having sexual intercourse with her since January 2011,” he said.

Efforts to make Hope appear in court to say her own side of the story proved abortive, as she fought the court bailiff who was sent to serve her the court summon.

After listening to the petitioner, the president of the court, Alhaji T. A. Sahid, adjourned the matter for further hearing.

—Jamiu Yisa