My husband rapes me all the time – Wife cries out.

The issue of marital rape was at the centre of a divorce case before a Customary Court sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, last week. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN,) reports that the Petitioner, Olabisi Adejola, pleaded with the court to dissolve her 16-year-old union to her husband, Paul, because he is too sexually active and often rapes her.

Testifying before the court’s President, Chief Ademola Odunade, Obabisi, a mother of three, said that her husband might snuff the life out of her if the court did not separate them because he usually rapes her.

“My lord, I made up my mind to call it quits with Paul because there is no peace in our marriage.

“Paul often subjects me to untold brutality in the process of sleeping with me.

“If he does not succeed in raping me, he beats or rains curses on me.

“Paul is forever requesting for sex and I fear that he might turn me into something else if I don’t leave him.

“In fact, he is a terrible drunkard and even quarrels with our 15-year-old first child.

“Paul never fends for the children and I, let alone showing concern about their education.

“Due to his irresponsibility, I have moved away from Paul’s home since March 4,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted her as saying.

The defendant, who earned his living as an entertainer, consented to the suit but denied the allegations levelled against him.

Paul, a resident of Oke-Ado area of Ibadan, however, submitted that he was pleased with his wife filing the divorce suit because she was a dishonest partner.

“My lord, Olabisi made up her mind to leave me because I caught her conspiring with thieves.

“A gang of armed robbers have been keeping stolen money and other items in her custody and I complained bitterly about it.

“Before I returned home on that day, Olabisi had packed her belongings.

“In addition, she is a wayward wife because she sometimes left home for three days fornicating around.

“It is not true that I don’t cater for the children.

“Also, I have never forced Olabisi into having sexual intercourse with me,” Paul said.

The court held that there was no more reason keeping the marriage since the duo have expressed their interest to separate. The court therefore dissolved the marriage, gave custody of the children to the Petitioner (Olabisi) and directed the Respondent (Paul) to be paying N12,000 monthly for the children’s upkeep.

The court also ordered Paul to be responsible for the education and other needs of the children.