One Margaret Agwu, on Friday, sought the dissolution of her 33-year-old marriage to her husband, Onu, at an Igando Customary Court in Lagos.
She lamented that her husband sometimes strips her nak£d and beats her to pulp and narrated how her husband deceived her and her parents and paid just N600 as her bride price when she was still 12 years old.
The trader told the court, “When I was 12 years old, my husband came to my village to ask for my hand in marriage.
“He also lied to my parents that he was a businessman and that he owned a provision store and that he lived in a flat.
“My parents told him that they cannot release me for marriage because I was too young and besides I was still schooling.
“Onu told my parents that he will send me to school after the marriage, my parent agreed and he paid the bride price.
“When I got to his house, I discovered that he was staying in one-room apartment, selling popcorn at the roadside.
“He also refused to fulfill his promise of sending me to school.
“He once punched me in my stomach and I lost my first pregnancy after a fight. I have lived every minute of my life in fear but I cannot go back to my parents because of the bride price.
“My husband absconded with our five children 16 years ago. When I called him after he packed out, he just told me that he was no longer interested in the marriage and since then he refused to pick my calls.
“His relations told me he relocated with the children to Port-Harcourt. It is 16 years now that I have not seen nor heard from them.
“I heard that my husband gave our first daughter’s hand in marriage without my knowledge and that she had given birth to a son,” she sobbed, urging the court to help her return the N600 bride price paid by her husband and dissolve the marriage.
“I am no longer in love and I want to move on with my life,” she added.
Onu, was however, called on telephone by an official of the court and he said the petitioner was no longer his wife.
Passing his judgement, the President of the court, Mr. Adegboyega Omilola, said that it was obvious that the marriage had hit the rocks.
Omilola said, “Throughout the duration of this case, the respondent refused to honour court summons, therefore, the court has no other choice than to dissolve the union.
“The marriage between Margaret Agwu and Onu Agwu is hereby dissolved from today, both parties are no longer husband and wife.
“Both are free to go their separate ways without any hindrances and molestation,” the president ruled.