My lover calls me "public restroom", woman says in court

Lagos-based businesswoman Nkechi Ononiwu has petitioned an Igando Customary Court to grant her separation from her resident lover over allegations of neglect, assault and infidelity.

The petitioner, a resident of Adebisi Street, Igando, approached the court on Tuesday to grant her claim.

"My boyfriend usually calls me 'ashewo' (prostitute) and also public toilets. He is always suspicious of my movements and doesn't hesitate to mention the age difference between us because I am older she said.

"When I took charge of my son, I informed him, which he initially denied that he was not in charge.

"Later, he suggested I have an abortion, saying he was not ready to take on the role of parent. I vehemently refused to tell him that it was against the doctrine of my church.

"Later, he confided in his sister who summoned me and asked me to maintain the pregnancy promising to inform their parents so that they could perform the necessary rites, but that did not happen. only happened after I went to bed.

"When his people didn't show up, he later suggested I move in with him, which I did, not knowing that was the beginning of my misfortunes and embarrassment. He started resenting me and calling me names because I had a daughter before I met him.

"I found out that he had gone back to his ex-girlfriend who lived on the same street as us. When I confronted him, his response was that she was the person he had expected. to marry, but because I got pregnant with him, he had to take me to his house,” she said.

The petitioner further told the court that the respondent also had a habit of beating her over any issue and that he always came home late and took calls from his other girlfriends at odd hours, which was one of the bases of their frequent brawls.

Nkechi said her boyfriend was still angry and yelled at her for putting a password on her phone, adding that twice he beat her which caused her to lose two pregnancies .

She urged the court to allow him to have sole custody of the only child between them, saying that in Igbo culture, since he had not married her legally, he had no rights over the child.

The respondent, Bright Ononiwu, a shopkeeper, who resides in Egbeda, told the court that he had been cohabiting with the applicant since 2015 when she took him in and gave birth to their son.

"Since I've known her, she's been disrespectful and had various affairs with different men.

“She is also a violent person and I complained several times, but she would not have swelled since she had already been locked up in a police station.

"I once saw a used condom at our house and she denied knowing when I confronted her, she allegedly password-passed her phones and hid things from me, her movements are also suspicious.

"On the matter of taking good care of her, it's a lie that I neglected her. I take care of her to the best of my financial ability and show her the love that is expected of me. I don't know how or what else she expects of me.

"I agree with the court's decision to separate us as she also embarrassed me in public. She had some time in the past picked up a knife to stab me telling me she grew up in Badagry and that she was "capable of such an act", he said.

He urged the court to order the petitioner to grant him unfettered access to their son whenever he needs to see him and also so that they can go their separate ways without bickering.

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Court President Adeniyi Koledoye has adjourned the case until September 20 for trial.

(NAN)

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