Housewife offers N120,000 bride price to quit 5-yr-old barren marriage

A housewife, 33-year-old Seliat Abeeb, yesterday, in Omu-Aran, Kwara State, offered to pay the bride price of N120,000 demanded by her husband as a condition for dissolving their five-year-old barren marriage. Seliat, who lives at Ago Olushola area in Otun, had, on June 14, approached an Omu-Aran Area Court, seeking the dissolution of her marriage to Abeeb. 

The money represents her bride price and other expenses incurred on Seliat as claimed by Abeeb while their union lasted. Seliat had, in her petition, told the court that she was no longer interested in the union that had yet to produce a child. She said: “I was forced to marry him against my will.

I know quite well that my husband had spent some money on me. “I am ready to pay the N120,000 he demanded as condition for my release. He cannot use the huge amount to deter me from leaving. I am no longer interested in the union.” Abeeb had earlier pleaded with the court to assist in reconciling him with his wife, a move Seliat vehemently resisted. He then demanded N120,000 for her release. “Since she is bent on leaving and having spent so much on her and her family, she should pay the stated amount to secure her release,” Abeeb insisted. 

The judge, Mr. Abolade Banigbe, in his ruling, said the court did its best to pacify Seliat, but to no avail. He held that “we have no option than to dissolve the union. The case was earlier adjourned for settlement among the parties, but with the turn of event, the court has no option than to dissolve the marriage. 

“I have tried my best in this circumstance to see that the couple remains one, but the woman stood her grounds. The union between them ceases to exist from now.” Banigbe, however, awarded N50,000 to be paid to Abeeb as against the N120,000 he demanded.