A dramatic scene unfolded at the Akure Family Court as Mr. Daniel Atilo, an Igala man from Kogi State, declared that the ‘’gods of his land would deal with him” if he complied with a court order mandating him to provide financial support for the three children he had with his estranged wife, Mrs. Toyin Atilo.
Atilo, who spoke before the court, insisted that his wife had agreed to abide by Igala traditions before their marriage.
According to him, under Igala customs, if a man’s wife engages in adultery, she must return to the gods to seek atonement.
He alleged that his wife had committed adultery by seeking assistance from her ex-boyfriend to care for their children.
The respondent maintained that until she appeased the gods, he could not provide financial support for their children, stating that her failure to do so could result in dire consequences for him or the children.
He recounted a past incident, saying, “There was a time that there was an order from home that I should not eat her food, that if I do, anything could happen. I bought food and kept it in the fridge so that I could eat from it. But when I got to the fridge, I didn’t see it there, and I told her about the order from home.”
However, the estranged wife, Mrs. Toyin Atilo, countered her husband’s claims, accusing him of abandoning their home and engaging in extramarital affairs, even with women on their street.
She lamented that he had failed to cater for their children, leaving her to bear the responsibility alone.
She described her husband as indifferent to her struggles, citing a specific incident where he showed no concern for her injured sister.
“There was a time when my sister was coming from Lagos, and she had an accident. I went to pick her up from where she had the accident, but my husband didn’t bother to check on her or even support me. He even said I should not bring them to our house. Even when I brought her, he didn’t enter the house to greet them. It was the people on the street that told me they saw him around,” she said.
She further accused him of neglecting his financial responsibilities, stating that he refused to settle her debts whenever she bought items on credit.
“He will not cater for us. Whenever I bought anything on credit from the people on the street, he used to tell them to deal with me if I didn’t pay. In fact, one of them once beat me up,” she added.
The applicant’s lawyer, George Dada, urged the court to compel the respondent to take full responsibility for the feeding, education, medical care, and overall welfare of the children, including their accommodation.
He also requested that custody of the children be granted to the applicant while allowing the respondent access to them with a 48-hour notice to their mother.
Magistrate Temitope Alphonso, visibly displeased with Atilo’s conduct in the courtroom and his refusal to comply with the court’s directive, issued an order mandating him to pay a monthly sum of N35,000 for the upkeep of the children, subject to review upon verification of his salary.
The court ruled: “It is an order of the court compelling you to pay N35,000 for the upkeep of your children. The children are yours, and the money will be paid to the court, where the children will come to collect it.
“When the court gives an order for you to pay, failure to comply is contempt of court.”
The case was adjourned till May 8, for further hearing.
By Anthony Ogbekile
