A businesswoman, Mrs Ugouovy Azubuike, has prayed an Ikeja Customary Court, sitting in Lagos State, to dissolve her three-year-old marriage to her husband, Alex Azubuike, for allegedly stealing her money and battering her.
Ugouovy, a resident of 21 Road, G Close, Festac Town, told the Court that she had no choice than to leave her matrimonial house because she couldn’t bear the pain she had been passing through in the hands of her husband.
She alleged that her husband always looked for reasons to castigate her for being barren and too old to bear a child.
Alex, who was also in Court, appeared shocked at his wife’s petition and denied all the allegations she levelled against him. Alex told the Court that he loves his wife and that he wouldn’t do anything to hurt her.
This was even as he argued that if his wife was insisting in dissolving the marriage, she should then return the dowry he paid on her.
He said: “I love my wife so dearly.
I would never hurt her. I believe she already has a concubine, because I am surprised she could be lying against me. But if she insists on dissolving the marriage, she should return the dowry I paid to her parents.”
In response, Ugouovy told Court that her husband paid N2, 005 only as dowry and that he further paid N148, 000 for their traditional marriage.
She added that she had to give her husband a sum of N500, 000 to assist him since he was not too financially buoyant. The petitioner, however, noted that if her husband insists on collecting the dowry, then he should be ready to return all the money he allegedly stole from her during the course of their marriage.
She said: “My husband has been wicked to me and if he insists on collecting the dowry of N2, 005 he paid during our traditional marriage held at Uzuani Local Government Area of Enugu State, then he should return the sum of N8, 050,000 he stole from me during our marriage because we did businesses together.
My Lord, I have evidence of the whole transaction between this man and I. Please dissolve our marriage because I am not ready to die. I left his house because of everyday fight and quarrels.”
The businesswoman stated that she had made up her mind and wanted a divorce, because her husband just wants her money as well as to inflict unnecessary sufferings on her.
Ugouovy noted: “My Lord, I am a businesswoman and I have money to fend for myself. My husband has hurt me to the extent that he called his concubine to speak with me. Let him take away all my money he stole. All I ask is that this marriage should be dissolved.”
The Court President, Mrs Ladele Funmilayo, advised the petitioner to have a rethink over the dissolution of the marriage as there would be no turning back. Funmilayo added that with the look of things, the husband still loved and wanted her in his life.
The Court President adjourned the case till May 17, while advising the couple to be of good behaviour and have a rethink.
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