Rose Onda
The Oja Oba Mapo Court C Customary Court, Ibadan, Oyo State, has ruled that a couple, Muktar Busari and Sekinat Siyembola go their different ways.
Muktar who dragged his wife to court alleged that she was fetish and that she hung charms everywhere in their home.
This according to him had made him desert his home and that he now lodges in hotels and sometimes in his mother’s place because of fear of being afflicted by demonic power.
The plaintiff thus appealed to the court to separate them so that he could start his life afresh.
Sekinat did not accede to divorce.
She told the court she loved her husband and that the dissolution of their marriage would affect the wellbeing of their children.
The defendant further explained that she sought for spiritual protection because armed robbers never ceased to raid their area.
“My lord, I fear to live with my wife. Sekinat is devilish and into demonic practice.
“I found fetish objects twice in her possession and these she later hung in different places in our home. Our house afterwards became a scary place to dwell in. Strange and awkward things started happening there while I always dread that night should come.
“I sought the help of a cleric in carrying out a cleansing of our apartment and he advised that my wife stay away from there for three months but she refused to leave.
“I work in Lagos and return home at weekends. I stopped going home because of the fear of death. I, therefore, decided to lodge at hotels or put up at my mother’s place for the two days before returning to Lagos on Monday morning.
“My lord, I’m afraid of my wife. She’s not an ordinary human being. I don’t want her to bewitch and kill me. I, therefore, entreat this court to deliver me from her hand by separating us, “he said.
Sekinat responding to what her husband said told the court, said: “I love my husband dearly and I’m also concerned about our children’s welfare. If my marriage to Muktar is dissolved, our children will be traumatised. They need the attention of both parents.
“There has never been a misunderstanding between my husband and me while he has painted a false picture of me.
“I sought for spiritual protection because of armed robbers who made our area their target. They raid from house to house and harm residents.
“My husband is always not around because he works in Lagos while he never showed any concern to our plight whenever I discussed the issue with him.
“I was instructed by the spiritualist I consulted to hang those objects my husband made mention of on the roof of our house. This he explained that they will debar armed robbers from breaking into our home.
“My husband used this as an excuse to sleep in hotels and his mother’s place. I reported him to his siblings because the step he took didn’t go down well with me but they took to his side.
“Muktar fought with me for bringing charms into our home without consulting him and drove me out of the house. He also locked my shop. I slept outside home for a month after he threw me out.
Giving his judgment, the court president, Chief Ademola Odunade, dissolved their marriage and awarded custody of their third and fourth children aged 131/2 years and 8 years respectively to the defendant.
The plaintiff was instructed to pay the sum of N10,000 monthly to the defendant as feeding allowance for the two children put in her care.
He was further asked to be responsible for their education and health care.