A Customary Court sitting at Mapo in Ibadan on Tuesday dissolved the 14-year-old marriage between Dauda Saliman and his estranged wife, Amina, over her alleged attempt to poison her husband.
The President of the Court, Ademola Odunade and two other arbitrators; Suleiman Apanpa and Rafiu Raji, said the union was dissolved in the interest of peace and tranquillity.
He granted custody of the three children produced by the marriage to the respondent and directed the petitioner to pay N15,000 as their monthly feeding allowance in addition to being responsible for their education and other welfare.
Mr Odunade frowned at Amina’s attitude of allowing her husband to stay in a hotel for three years without crying out about it, describing her as “the architect of her own misfortune”.
Mr Saliman, who lived at Ayegun area in Ibadan, approached the court to dissolve the marriage as his wife, Amina, was bent on killing him.
He told the court that he had to abandon his home for three years in order to avert his wife’s alleged evil plot to cut short his life.
“Times without number, Amina had embarked on her evil plot to kill me by poisoning my food without my knowledge, but God had been protecting me.
“This is due to no other reason than to illegitimately take over my hard-earned property.
“I realise that Amina doesn’t love me, she is only after what she can get from me.
“She even took my name to a marabout in Ibadan who also sleeps with her.
“I got this piece of evidence because that Marabout has been threatening, calling me day and night to bring an end to my life.
“What else does Amina want from me? Aside from establishing a big stall for her at Gbagi market, I also gave her two cars.
“She is quite aware that she is not my only wife, but she wants to acquire my entire property,” Mr Saliman said.
In her submission, Amina urged the court not to dissolve the marriage and denied ever poisoning her husband.
Amina said that her husband only wanted to dump her for a new wife.
“It is true that he abandoned the three children and I at home for three years, sleeping in the hotel.
“Dauda had always sounded it in my ears that he wanted to marry another wife and that I should vacate his house, but I don’t know how I offended him.
“He has been dating and sleeping with my salesgirl and I think he has married her.
“I have no plot to harm Dauda, I love him, especially for the sake of our children,” Amina pleaded.
(NAN)
