In our neighbourhood, my wife is considered the husband, distraught husband tells court

A middle-aged man, Adeyemi Sangobiyi, yesterday, told the Abeokuta customary court Grade 1, Ake, how he stormed his wife’s office to challenge her on what he described as her indecent dressing. Sangobiyi, who is the defendant in the divorce suit instituted by his wife, Mrs. Sakirat Sangobiyi, pleaded with the court that though he still […]

A middle-aged man, Adeyemi Sangobiyi, yesterday, told the Abeokuta customary court Grade 1, Ake, how he stormed his wife’s office to challenge her on what he described as her indecent dressing.

Sangobiyi, who is the defendant in the divorce suit instituted by his wife, Mrs. Sakirat Sangobiyi, pleaded with the court that though he still wants her back as his wife, he was worried about what he called his wife’s new way of life that he wasn’t comfortable with and saw as a “threat” to his life.

He explained that he had warned his wife not to wear a certain dress on Sallah day, but that despite the warning, she had gone ahead to wear the same cloth to work the following day.

He said, “I was shocked, wondering how a responsible woman can wear that kind of dress. In anger, I visited the office where she works and ordered her to go back home to change the dress. I did this, because in the neighbourhood, it was like she is the husband and I the wife. So, to show that if truly I am still her husband and in control of her dressing, she should comply, but she refused.”

The plaintiff had approached the court to dissolve the 15 years marriage as a result of alleged merciless beating by husband.

“I am a drum in his hand. I cannot continue with that kind of treatment. The last time, I was beaten from night till dawn. So, the following day I packed all my clothes to leave the house,” she said.

But the husband countered, saying the incident she had used was a mere excuse, “It is not tenable, because that issue was resolved same day. But, as I said, there are forces that are a threat to my life and are, perhaps, controlling her too,” he said.

President of the court, Chief Olalekan Akande, supported on the bench by Mrs. Ogunyemi, urged the two parties to go home and seek family reconciliation and come back on November 9, 2017.