A sexagenarian, John Anya, on Tuesday, prayed an Igando Customary Court in Lagos State to grant him a divorce from his wife of 33 years, Egobeke.

In his petition, Anya, a haulage contractor who resides at Number 7, Unity Avenue, Akesan, prayed for divorce on grounds that his wife beats him up and she was not resourceful.

“My wife is such a nuisance. She shows her character when I don’t have money to drop for the home front. She beats me. I have had to run away from home and put up in my church to save my life. She has tried to chock me to death before.

“Look at her height and weight. Now, imagine her pinning me down and trying to snuff life out of me,” he told the court.

He accused his wife of running down the business he set up for her.

“She lacks managerial sense. She talks bad about me to my children and has turned their minds against me. I am fed up with the whole situation and I want the court to grant me a divorce,” he said.

The respondent, Egobeke, a businesswoman, told the court in tears that she doesn’t want a divorce and that all that her husband said were not true.

“Which virtuous woman has divorce attached to her portfolio. I do not want a divorce. Before we got married, I had been told I would have a rough marriage and I have settled it in my mind and I am carrying my cross diligently.

“I have endured enough in this marriage sir. I do not know why my husband is telling all these lies against me,” she said.

The respondent told the court that her husband had done so many unimaginable things to her.

“This whole issue came up because of the three women he is dating now. One of them is my very good friend. He doesn’t know that I am aware of his atrocities, he patronises commercial sex workers,” she said.

She further told the court that the petitioner gives her only N1,000 as a feeding allowance daily for a family of five.

“He says I beat him? Please can you see any scar on him? But look at my body, you will see scars from his beatings.

President of the Court, Mr Koledoye Adeniyi, adjourned the case till March 31 for further hearing.