Man Begs Court: 'Help! My Wife Beats Me'

 •    Help! My wife wants to beat me to death

Worried over his wife’s penchant for physically overpowering him during scuffles, a certain Mr. Ifayemi Oshiga has dragged his wife before an Oshodi Customary Court in Lagos asking the court to rescue him from being beaten to death by the woman whom he once professed love to.

Speaking on the circumstances that frustrated him towards filing a divorce suit against the woman, Mr. Oshiga told the court that the woman was fond of taking advantage of her physical advantage over him.

He informed the court that despite being married to the woman for 23 years, he was ready to put an end to their once happy love life.

In addition to allegations of assault leveled against his wife, he also accused her of neglecting her responsibilities as a mother and wife.

“We’ve been married for 23 years and we have four children yet my wife insults me at the slightest provocation. To make matters worse, she assaults me in public places. If for instance, she sights me sipping bottles of beer with my friends probably in the company of a woman or two, she would suddenly barge in, lock me in a strong hold and begin to fight with me right there and then. She is a public embarrassment. I have been the one taking care of the children. She has abandoned her responsibilities as a mother and wife. Instead, she has become a professional fighter.”

In her reaction, the woman, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Oshiga admitted that their marriage was plagued by problems but fingered her husband as being responsible for the crisis in their marriage.

She told the court that rather than finds ways of resolving the differences in their marriage, her husband sought refuge in the arms of another woman.

“Shortly after the trouble we had was resolved by my husband’s relatives, he married another woman a week after.”

The man however countered his wife’s revelation about his polygamous tendency by saying members of his extended family were all aware of the new developments as regards the new wife.

He however made it clear that he could not be forced to continue with a marriage he was no longer interested in.

“I have made my point clear.  I don’t want to continue with this relationship and nobody can force me to do so,” he declared.

Prior to their appearance in court, the man’s family had written a letter to the court urging it (the court) not to give Mr. Oshiga any audience.

Angered by this move, Mr. Oshiga openly demanded an apology from his relatives.

Responding to the allegations, Mrs. Oshiga admitted that she had not been doing a very good job of taking care of the family neither had she been peaceful. She however told the court that her husband’s prayers would never be answered because “his new wife is very aggressive and would not be able to take care of her (Mrs. Oshiga) children.

Weeping profusely in court, the 38-years-old Mrs. Oshiga maintained that she was still in love with the man. “I am not ready to divorce him. Please, help me beg him. He should forgive me and allow me and the children remain in the house so that we can take good care of them (children). After 23 years of living with him, where would I go to?” she asked rhetorically.

After a painstaking consideration of the petition, the court ordered Mr. Oshiga to arrange for accommodation for his wife and also empower her financially to start a business so that she could cater for herself and her children.

The case was however adjourned to a later date.

From the ARCHIVE