– My landlord gave me quit notice ’cos I refused to sleep with him —Tenant
A landlord, Olalekan Olasunkanmi has dragged one of his female tenants, Folake Abisoye, before Oja Oba/Mapo Court C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State.
Olalekan in his suit accused the defendant who is occupying a room, of owing him six months rent, which is N15, 000.
The plaintiff added that she was in the habit of returning home at unholy hours and in the company of strange men and would then disturb the peace of everyone in the compound.
Olalekan also stated that Folake was troublesome and that she had a caustic tongue. According to him, she was in the habit of abusing and fighting him any time he called her to order.
The plaintifft therefore entreated the court to help him collect his money from her and rule that she moved out of his house.
Folake in her reponse, admitted owing her landlord the stated amount, but added that he was always on her neck because she refused to date him.
According to her, he used to threaten to throw her out of his house anytime he saw her with her lover.
Olalekan in his evidence stated that: “Folake is a wolf in sheep skin. I took her for a decent person the first time she approached me to rent a room in my house , but she proved me wrong three months after.
“She flouted all the rules and regulations I gave her with regards to maintaining peace and sanity in the compound.
“One of the rules I gave her and everyone in the compound was that they should all be at home by 10:00 p.m. As the chairman of the landlord association of my area, I appealed to all my tenants to adhere to this regulation so that no accusing fingers would be pointed at me.
“Everyone in the compound kept to this rule except Folake.
“She told me when she was about moving into my house that she didn’t have a husband but she later started coming home with strange men at unholy hours. Any time she was back, she would wake up all the other tenants with her noise.
“At other times, she would sneak out of the compound late at night and lock other tenants in. Folake would go with the key to the gate.
“I got to know this when one of my tenants who travelled returned home late. He met the padlock hung outside the gate and locked.
“My attention was called to this. I suspected someone was being mischievous. Everyone in the compound came out of their room except Folake.
“I used the extra key with me to open the padlock and changed it to a new one. I then pleaded with the tenants to please bear with me because I was going to lock them in till dawn.
“I told them to go to bed while I decided to keep vigil in other to detect who the culprit was.
“My lord, Folake came home with her lover in the middle of the night and was shocked to find that the padlock had been changed.
“She was filled with rage. She shouted and cursed, and then went for a stone with which she hit the new padlock with the intention of forcing it open.
“I came out at this moment and she rained curses on me. Her lover was embarrassed because she woke up the neighbourhood. I later discovered that her lover was the son of an old friend. He kept begging me and apologising.
“Folake never ceased to keep late nights even after this incident. She’s a regular face at a joint where I usually unwind every evening.
“Men usually hover around her like flies and she was always ready to attend to their sexual needs. She would insult me and hiss at me eye in the presence of these men, “he explained.
He added that, “My lord, Folake owes me N15, 000 which is the rent of six months for the room she’s occupying and has refused to pay. I want her to pay the money and move out of my house.
“She is the worst tenant I have ever had. Apart from being a slot, she’s also dirty. She doesn’t participate in the sweeping of the compound. She soaks her clothes and leaves them in buckets till they start to smell.
“My lord, Folake even has the gut to brush her teeth and wash her pants behind my window. I have warned her against this but she has refused to heed my warning.
“She composes abusive songs and insults me in the presence of other tenants.
“The night guards in our neighbourhood have complained endlessly about Folake’s habit of returning home late but she has refused to change.
“My lord, all I want is that she leaves my house and pay me my rent, “he concluded.
Folake while giving her evidence stated that, “My lord, it is true I owe my landlord six months’ rent but he has not told the court the major reason he dragged me to court.
“He came to court because I refused to sleep with him, “the plaintiff said.
“We both relax every evening at the same joint which is near our place and we leave the place almost the same time every night. I never exceed 10:30 pm. He, therefore, has no right to accuse me of returning home late.
“My lord, he never stopped monitoring me. It is true I locked the gate, but it wasn’t more than fifteen minutes. I rushed to the end of our street to bring home my lover.
“My landlord went mad that night when he saw me with another man and created a scene. He changed the padlock before I returned.
“He got more angry because he knew my lover and I had a wonderful sex bout throughout the night.
“I have told him I can’t date an old man. He starts the day drinking gin and goes to bed every night drunk after gulping down almost a cartoon of beer.
“He failed to repair the roof in my room which is leaking and has spoilt almost all my belongings, “Folake stated.
The court president, Chief Ademola Odunade after listening to both parties ruled that the defendant pay the debt of N15, 000 she owes the plaintiff and move out of her apartment before or on December 15.
Both were advised to maintain peace.
(Tribune)
Leave a Reply