REACTIONS AS ABUJA MAN DIVORCES WIFE OF 19 YEARS OVER LACK OF PRAYERS

A man has told a Grade I Area Court in Kubwa, Abuja, that he divorced his wife after 19 years of marriage because she does not observe daily prayers, among other irreconcilable differences.

“She does not observe her daily prayers and does not like my family members. I asked her to follow me to the village so that we can resolve issues on why she dislikes my mother and she refused.

“I pronounced divorce to her on June 6 and she has observed her iddah. I am no longer interested in the marriage and have informed her parents,” Lukman Abdul Aziz said

Rashidat, his wife, in response, told the court that Mr Abdulaziz told her on August 27, that he had not been making love to her for the past three months because he wanted a divorce.

“He said he would fend for our four children but wanted me to leave his house because he wanted to sell it.

“I told him the house belongs to my children because I built the house with him, it is not his house,” she said.

Mr Abdulaziz prayed the court to confirm the divorce of his wife, Rashidat, after he had already done so, according to Islamic injunction.

The Judge, Muhammad Adamu, therefore dissolved the marriage following Abdulaziz’s prayers.

Mr Adamu said that in Islam, a man has the power to divorce his wife saying that Rashidat told the court that she had observed her “Iddah”.

He said Rashidat was no longer Mr Abdulaziz’s wife and advised them to find time and discuss the upkeep of their four children.

The judge said that the court would issue a certificate of divorce.