Court dissolves 9-year-old marriage over irreconcilable differences

The President of Mapo Customary Court, Ibadan, Chief Ademola Odunade, on Wednesday dissolved a nine-year-old marriage between Jelilat Moshud and Mustafa Moshud over burning of clothes and other irreconcilable differences.

“In the interest of peaceful coexistence, the union between Jelilat and Moshud has ceased to be.

“The custody of the first child produced by the union is granted to Jelilat while Moshud shall pay a monthly allowance of N4,000 for the child’s upkeep in addition to being responsible for his education and other welfare.

“The last two children will continue to be in Moshud’s custody,” the court president said.

Odunade also advised husbands and wives to fortify themselves with necessary experience that could make them withstand marital challenges.

Earlier on, Jelilat had told the court that her husband burnt her clothing out of wickedness.

“Ever since I left Moshud’s home, in protest against my maltreatment, he had resolved to beating me and destroying my property.

“In fact, I have become a stranger in his house because our ways are no longer the same. If I make any slightest mistake in the house, Moshud beats me.”

She said that Moshud packed all her clothes, poured petrol on them before he set them ablaze, adding that she was now left with nothing.

“In addition, Moshud broke one of the arms of an old woman who usually takes care of two of our children by pushing her to the ground.

“Beside this, I am already pregnant for another man; I am done with Moshud,” Jelilat said.

The respondent, Moshud, who admitted the divorce suit, however, refuted the allegations, saying he was not responsible for the burning of his wife’s clothes.

“My lord, Jelilat is such a wayward woman; and a harlot.

“She wants to continue to live a wayward life under my roof; under the guidance of her useless friends which I will never tolerate.”

“One day, I discovered that she had destroyed my clothes, our wedding pictures and my other property, and I reported her to her father,” he said.

Moshud said that Jelilat’s father, who used to be nice to me, suddenly changed his attitude.

He told me that he had given his daughter in marriage to another man.

“Immediately, I knew that by that act from my father-in-law, an irreparable damage had been done to my union with Jelilat,” Moshud said.