Court dissolves 6-yr-old marriage to avert further violence

A customary court sitting in Ibadan yesterday dissolved a six-year-old marriage between Jimoh Akande Hammed of Ajimobi compound, Oja-Oba, Ibadan, and Eniola, a mother of two to avert further domestic violence in the couple’s matrimony.

The president of the court, Chief Agbaje Henry Olasunkanmi, held that it was not in the interest of the court to dissolve marriages, but said that since the two parties were adamant on dissolution of the marriage, “the marriage is hereby dissolved.”

Chief Olasunkanmi ruled that Eniola should take possession of their two children, Faridat Hammed, 5, and Aliat Hammed, 2, until they grow up to decide where to live.

He told Hammed, “We shall arrange for you on how to see them. The most important thing is for you to take good care of the children. The health, education and welfare of the children is more important also.”

Eniola had told the court that her husband was a drunk who never cared for her and the children. She said her husband used to beat her whenever he got drunk and never cared for the future of his children.

She said, “It is my parents that pay for our house rent and some other expenses. He would beat me with my children whenever we were having issues. Even, he would call my parents to come and take me if they wanted me alive. When I could not bear it again, I left his house in 2015. Still, whenever he visited my house to see his children, he would beat me.”

Reacting, Hammed said his wife was not trustworthy, adding that he had met her in different beer parlours in the neighbourhood, and thereby sought for the dissolution of the marriage.