A 31-year-old father of two, Demola Ogunyale, has told the Abeokuta Grade II Customary Court sitting at Ake that rumours and jealousy were responsible for his despicable actions against his wife, Funke.
Funke had approached the court to dissolve the five- year-old marriage on the grounds of incessant beating and threat to life, which she said compelled her to pack out of her matrimonial home.
In her suit, Funke alleged that Demola once asked her to pretend to be his cousin’s wife so he could win the heart of one Omolara with a view to collecting money from the lady whose parents were described as rich.
“When I refused such an idea, he beat me to a stupor. Since then, it has been beating for me anywhere he found me. It was when the beating was no longer bearable that I had to leave home.
“Yet, he keeps trailing me everywhere, threatening me. I decided to approach this court for a dissolution of our marriage to have peace of mind,” Funke said.
Demola shocked the court when he admitted he was always beating her. “I will not lie. But it is not all my fault. I listened to rumours about my wife’s alleged adultery. People came to me to tell me all sorts of stories about her, including a rumour that she had an abortion. It was what they told me about her that made me to frame up that story of wanting to marry a rich girl. The lady is just a friend.”
Stressing that his major problem was jealousy, the defendant said he always lost his patience whenever he heard his wife was seen at an unlikely place.
He pleaded, “But since I have come here now, I promise not to believe in hearsay any longer. Please, I still want her back. I can no longer bear my wife staying with her relations.”
The court president, Chief Olalekan Akande, who led the three-member court, advised Demola, “Prostration is not a sign of a good character. You must change completely to convince your wife,” and urged a family mediation on the disagreement between the couple.
Akande adjourned the suit till May 11, 2918 “to see how the family mediation will go.”
