Fifteen years ago, Suliyat was a 16-year-old high school student with her whole life ahead of her. Urged by her family, she stepped out of her classroom and into a lifetime commitment with Fatai Lamidi.
On Thursday, that journey came to a bitter, heartbreaking end inside a crowded Mapo Grade A Customary Court in Ibadan, Oyo State. What was once a union of youthful promise had disintegrated into a toxic storm of physical violence, spiritual terror, and deep-seated regret.
Delivering judgment, the Court’s President, Mrs. S.M. Akintayo, officially dissolved the 15-year-old marriage, citing an irreparable breakdown in the relationship and the need to forestall a breakdown of law and order.
Behind the legal jargon lies the painful reality of two lives completely unspooled.
A House of Terror and “Salty Charms”
For Lamidi, an official with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), stepping into his own home had become a daily exercise in fear. He painted a harrowing picture of a marriage defined by relentless strife and mysterious, dark rituals.
“I have endured many years of trauma staying under the same roof with Suliyat,” Lamidi told the court, his voice heavy with years of frustration. “It is one day, one trouble in our home. If she is not engaged in physical combat with me, she is cursing or insulting me.”
The tension escalated far beyond verbal abuse. Lamidi recounted a terrifying physical assault where his wife allegedly pulled his genitals during a fight. But even more unsettling, he claimed, was her turning to witch doctors.
Lamidi alleged that Suliyat repeatedly sprinkled mysterious “salty charms” around their matrimonial home after secretly visiting native doctors. The fear of being spiritually harmed forced him to stop eating any food she prepared. Even a visit from his father turned disturbing when the older man allegedly spotted the charms—and found salt sprinkled directly into his own footprints.
Religious differences deepened the divide. Despite Lamidi’s instructions as a Muslim, Suliyat began attending church, adding another layer of friction to a house already on the brink of collapse.
A Bride Too Young, A Reality Too Harsh
When Suliyat took the witness stand, a very different, deeply poignant human picture emerged. She didn’t deny that the love was dead, but her defense revealed the scars of a marriage she entered far too early.
“I was 16 years of age when Lamidi married me in 2010… I was still in secondary school when my elder brother persuaded me to accept him,” Suliyat recounted to the court.
Addressing the violent incident her husband highlighted, Suliyat claimed she acted purely out of self-defense after Lamidi tried to strangle her and smashed her phone.
As for the state of their home? Suliyat explained that her husband, who frequently traveled to Abuja for work, constantly criticized her inability to manage the house to his standards. Over time, the affection withered away completely.
Once a promising young student whose husband later bought her a sewing machine to learn fashion design, Suliyat’s financial situation has drastically deteriorated. Today, stripped of her youth and left with nothing, she survives by working as a maid for a local food vendor.
The Verdict: A Fragmented Family
After listening to testimonies—including that of Lamidi’s friend, Suleiman Ayankunle, who confirmed the incessant fighting and violent outbursts—Mrs. Akintayo ruled that the couple must go their separate ways for peaceful living.
The court divided custody of their two children:
- The 15-year-old son was placed in the custody of his father, Lamidi.
- The younger daughter was awarded to Suliyat, with the court noting that a young girl requires the guidance and care of her mother.
To ensure the child’s stability, the court ordered Lamidi to pay for an apartment near the daughter’s school for Suliyat and the child until the girl completes her university education. Additionally, Lamidi must pay a monthly feeding allowance of ₦60,000, cover her educational expenses, and handle her overall welfare.
The court also issued a strict restraining order barring Suliyat from harassing, threatening, or interfering with Lamidi’s private life.
As the court rose, the curtain officially fell on a 15-year union—leaving behind two separated children, a traumatized husband, and a former child bride now forced to rebuild her life from scratch.
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