Court dissolves 15 year-old marriage over drunkenness, threat to life

Ademola Odunade, the President of a Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan, on Wednesday dissolved a 15-year-old marriage between one Rukayat Lukman and her husband, Yekeen, over drunkenness and threat to life.

Odunade, who advised intending couples to seek proper counselling before embarking on marriage, decried the high rate of violence among couples.

The arbitrator, who cited threat to life as the reason for ending the union, awarded custody of the two children produced by the union to Rukayat.

He directed Yekeen to pay a monthly allowance of N10,000 for the children’s upkeep in addition to being responsible for their education and other welfare needs.

Earlier while narrating her ordeal, Rukayat, a trader and a resident of Boluwaji area of Ibadan, said her husband had constantly put her life at risk through ceaseless battery after drinking.

“For me, marriage has remained a thing of regret and unhappiness going by the harrowing experiences which Yekeen has exposed me to.

“He is a terrible drunk and each time he is drunk, he beats the hell out of me.

 “I have different scars on my body now because of Yekeen’s brutality to me.

“It would have been better if he had stopped at just beating me, Yekeen also starves the children and me.

“He is not a good example of a father to the children as he plays no role in their education, Yekeen has added no value to my life, please, separate us,” she said.

Yekeen, a commercial bus driver, did not deny any of the allegations levelled against him and did not also oppose divorce.

“Though I agree with Rukayat’s submission, however, I want this court to know that she intentionally abandoned me even when there was no reason for it.

“After a while, Rukayat came begging my mother to allow the two children to spend the holidays with her.

“However, Rukayat ran away with the children. Please, don’t give her custody of my children,” Yekeen said.