My Husband Deceived My Parents , Paid Only N 600 As My Bride Price

A trader , Margaret Agwu , on Wednesday told
an Igando Customary Court , Lagos, that her
husband, Onu, deceived her and her parents
and paid just N 600 as her bride price when
she was still 12 years old .
She also said that
sometimes he strips her unclad and beats her
to pulp . Margret , who made this known when
she testified in a divorce proceedings against
Onu, told the court that her husband had
turned her into a punching bag
“ He once punched me in my stomach and I
lost my first pregnancy after a fight . I have
lived every minute of my life in fear but I
cannot go back to my parents because of the
bride price , ” she said . Margaret , 45, had urged
the court to annul her 33 -year -old marriage
citing husband ’ s duplicity .
“ When I was 12 years old, my husband came
to my village to ask for my hand in marriage
with a promise to my parents that he would
send me to school. “ He also lied to my
parents that he is a businessman that he
owned a provision store and that he lived in a
flat. “ My parents told him that they cannot
release me for marriage because I was too
young and besides I was still schooling. “ Onu
told my parents that he will send me to school
after the marriage, my parent agreed and he
paid the bride price , ” she said . Margaret
regretted that on getting to the city , she
discovered that her husband was not what he
made her and her parents believe he was .
“ When I got to his house, I discovered that he
was staying in one -room apartment , selling
popcorn at the roadside . “ He also refused to
fulfill his promise of sending me to school, ”
she said .
The petitioner said that she would not have
reminded herself of the husband ’ s deceit but
because he had turned out to be a brute , who
beats her at the slightest provocation .
Margret also accused her husband of
absconding with all their five children 16 years
ago. “ When I called him after he packed out ,
he just told me that he was no longer
interested in the marriage and since then he
refused to pick my calls . “ His relations told
me he relocated with the children to Port
Harcourt . It is 16 years now that I have not
seen nor heard from them . “ I heard that my
husband gave our first daughter’ s hand in
marriage without my knowledge and that she
had given birth to a son, ” she said . Margaret
urged the court to help her to return the N600
bride price paid by her husband and dissolve
the marriage, saying “ I am no longer in love
and I want to move on with my life . ” When an
official of the court called Onu on telephone ,
he said that the petitioner was no longer his
wife. In his judgment , the President of the
court , Mr Adegboyega Omilola, said that it was
obvious that the marriage had hit the rocks .
“ Throughout the duration of this case, the
respondent refused to honour court summons ,
therefore, the court has no other choice than
to dissolve the union . “ The marriage between
Margaret Agwu and Onu Agwu is hereby
dissolved from today , both parties are no
longer husband and wife . “ Both are free to go
their separate ways without any hindrances
and molestation , ” he said .