A housewife and mother of eight, Mrs Halimatu Salami, has lost her 40-year-old marriage for starving her husband of sex. An Igando Customary Court in Lagos on Thursday, granted the husband, Mr Ganiyu Salami, his request for dissolution of the marriage.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the plaintiff, an Islamic cleric, had earlier filed for divorce on the grounds that his wife had denied him his matrimonial right by failing in her conjugal duties. A

My wife, who sleeps, eats my food and drinks my water, has been starving me of sex for 16 years now.

“She will not even allow me to neither touch her nor make love to her,’’ he said.

According to the 59-year-old man, his marriage to Halimatu has been turbulent and fraught with fights and quarrels. He explained that his did not allow him have peace of mind. The petitioner alleged that his wife had at a time threatened to kill him.

He said: “Another cleric who lives with me, told me that my wife was after my life; that she gave him charms to put in my food.

“There was a day she wanted to stab me with a broken bottle but for the quick intervention of my friend who entered at that time and collected the bottle from her.”

The husband further alleged that his wife turned their children against him, alleging that she once ordered their first born to beat him up.

“My son beat me up mercilessly and tore my clothes to pieces with my wife’s consent,’’ he said.

The plaintiff said that his wife, Halimatu, gave out their daughters in marriage without his knowledge and consent, saying that he had never met any of his sons-in-law. He said that his wife was after the property he inherited from his late father.

“My father’s property belongs to me alone. My wife and children cannot inherit my father’s property but can only inherit my own property.

“My wife is fighting to take over my father’s property from me, claiming it belongs to her and the children.

“I later bought a land in her name so that she and the children can have that as their inheritance but she went to the land owners begging them to sell the land and give her the money,’’ he said.

The plaintiff pleaded with the court to terminate the marriage so that he could have peace of mind and live long to enjoy the rest of his life. The respondent, Halimatu, who consented to the dissolution of their marriage, admitted denying her husband sex.

“I was ill at a time and when I recovered from my illness, my husband refused to sleep with me, claiming I am a mad woman.

“He went and married another woman without my knowledge and when he later wanted to sleep with me, I refused,’’ she said.

The 52-year-old trader said that her husband and their first son had a misunderstanding which made him (son) beat his father. She, however, denied ordering her son to beat his father. The respondent also denied an allegation that she gave charm to anyone to kill him, saying she also never attempted to stab her husband with a bottle. Halimatu further denied the plaintiff’s claim of wanting to sell the land her husband bought for her.

The Court’s President, Mr Adeniyi Koledoye, in his judgment, said that it appeared that the estranged husband and wife were tired of the marriage since efforts to reconcile both parties had failed.

“Since both parties consented to the dissolution of their marriage, this court has no choice than to dissolve the marriage.

“The court hereby pronounces the marriage between Mr Ganiyu Salami and Mrs Halimatu Salami dissolved today,

“Both of you henceforth cease to be husband and wife. Each of you should go on his or her separate way unmolested. The court wishes both of you well in your future endeavour.

“The custody of the last born, who is 17-year-old is awarded to Halimatu, while Ganiyu must be paying N5, 000 monthly for her feeding and must also be responsible for her education and general welfare.”

The court ordered Ganiyu to pay a severance fee of N250,000 to the respondent for her to move on with her life and to also pay N150,000 for her to secure another accommodation. (NAN)

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