NIGERIA: Mother in-law chases away son’s wife over barrenness, court told

A 31-year-old housewife has narrated how she was chased away from her matrimonial home by her mother-in-law because she could not bear a child five years after she got married to the woman’s son in Lagos, western Nigeria.

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The woman, Mrs Adaeze Nwosu revealed this at the Ejigbo Customary court where she and her husband are seeking the dissolution of the marriage on several grounds.

The embittered Adaeze lamented that her mother in-law contributed to the collapse of their marriage after she invaded their home and asked her to leave since she could not bear a child.

She also said her mother-in-law insisted that she would remain in the couple’s home until her son, Godwin impregnated any woman so that she could a grand child.

Adaeze said true to her decision, her mother-in-law stayed and started wooing women for her husband and they were sleeping on their matrimonial bed but none of them was able to get pregnant for him after several months.

She said the trauma and intimidation became unbearable and she was forced to move out of her matrimonial home to have peace of mind.

The embittered woman said while all this was going on, her husband did not object to his mother’s meddlesomeness. Rather, he was fully obeying his mom’s directive by sleeping with the women.

She said when it became obvious that the marriage had irretrievably broken up, she suggested to Godwin to go to court for the dissolution of the marriage so that they can go their separate ways.

Both Godwin and Adaeze agreed before the court that the marriage was boring and characterized by crises and that they do not have feelings for each other anymore.

Godwin who resides at 20, Oluwale street, Ejigbo with his wife, Adaeze, filed the suit on the ground of lack of care, irreconcilable differences, incompatibility, lack of love and asked the court to dissolve the marriage.

Adaeze in responses, told the court that Godwin was right on the claims for seeking divorce and pleaded with the court to immediately dissolve the marriage.

The court had earlier adjourned the matter for counselling and when it was obvious that they would not be able to reconcile their differences, the court went ahead with the hearing.

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The matter has been adjourned for judgment.

[PMNews]