My husband denounced me for refusing to swear against infidelity, housewife tells court

A divorce-seeking woman, Omolara Busari, on Wednesday told a Mapo Grade A Customary Court in Ibadan to dissolve her 14-year-old marriage to her estranged husband, Olanrewaju Busari, on grounds of being forced to swear against infidelity.

Busari, a mother of two and footwear trader at Ogunpa market, stated this in her counterargument before the court: her husband suddenly started doubting her level of loyalty after returning from his Lagos hustling trip in 2020.

“Lanre’s attitude completely changed towards me immediately he came back from Lagos, where he had gone to seek greener pasture.

“He refused to talk to me and even ejected me from our bedroom and asked me to sleep in the corridor after accusing me of infidelity.

“Then he placed a charm on the ground and told me to cross over it in order to prove my innocence, but I declined.

“Later, Olanrewaju began to insult and disrespect my parents, who agreed with me not to swear by crossing over any voodoo.

“Soon, well-meaning individuals intervened, and I thought that the matter had been resolved.

“However, Olanrewaju was still embittered and eventually abandoned the home,” Omolara explained.

Earlier, Olanrewaju had contended that his 14 years of union with Busari had been irreparably damaged by stress, lack of care, absence of love, and frequent fighting.

The estranged husband, a generator dealer at Ogunpa market in Ibadan, further said that his wife had told him never to question how she lived her life.

“My lord, apart from the enormous stress that I have endured, she also told me that I cannot question her movements. This was why I decided to walk out of the union.

“Also, Omolara has been bringing the children to embarrass me in my shop to ask for money despite the fact that I regularly provide them welfare allowances on a weekly basis,” he said.

Consequently, he prayed the court to restrain the respondent from further subjecting him to public intimidation.

Delivering judgement, the court’s president, Mrs. S.M. Akintayo, held that Olanrewaju could not be forced to continue in the relationship since he was no longer willing to do so.

Akintayo consequently dissolved the marriage after finding out that it was a valid customary marriage.

She, however, awarded custody of the two children produced by the union to the respondent because she would be in the best position to cater for them.

Akintayo ordered the petitioner to remain responsible by providing for the education, medical, and all other welfare of the children.

She granted the order restraining Omolara from harassing, disturbing, and interfering in Olanrewaju’s private life henceforth.

In addition, she directed the respondent to provide the petitioner with reasonable access to the children.