Man divorces wife of 19 years because she’s not prayerful

A man identified as Lukman Abdulaziz, has divorced his wife, Rashidat because she didn’t like praying during the course of their marriage which spanned 19 years.

Appearing before a Grade I Area Court in Kubwa, Federal Capital Territory, the husband explained that he was divorcing her because she does not observe daily prayers, among other irreconcilable differences.

He said that he had already divorced her by way of Islamic injunction and he needed the court to do same.

Abdulaziz also accused his wife of disliking his family, especially his mother. He said that he asked her to follow him to the village for her to resolve issues with his mum but she refused.

“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,” Abdulaziz told the court.

In her response, Rashidat told the court that her husband had informed her on 27th of August, that he had not been making love to her for the past three months because he wanted a divorce.

She added; “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”.

Abdulaziz prayed the court to confirm the divorce of his wife, after he had already gotten the marriage annulled in accordance with Muslim law.

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

Adamu explained that in Islam, a man has the power to divorce his wife due to reasons he feels are valid.

The judge also noted that Rashidat, however, told the court in her statement that she had observed her “Iddah”.

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

Adamu told the couple that the court would issue them a certificate of divorce.