MICHAEL AKINOLA
A housewife, Lawal Modupe, has chosen becoming a chieftaincy tilte holder over her husband, Ismaila, as she went before the Court asking for the dissolution of their 17-year old ‘loveless marriage‘.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the Upper Area Court in Kubwa, Abuja, granted her request and dissolved the marriage accordingly
The Presiding Judge, Mohammed Wakili, dissolved the marriage according to Islamic Law, following Modupe’s prayer for divorce and ordered Modupe to observe “Iddah”, which is a waiting period to be observed for three months before contracting another marriage.
The petitioner, Modupe, who is a mother of three children, told the Court she got married to the respondent under Islamic law on 24th October, 2007 and had the children aged, 17, 15, and 12.
She said that the respondent sent her out of his house on 17th June, 2023, and they have been living apart since then after she told him about the traditional title.
The respondent however, told the Court that he sent his wife packing because she decided to be a title holder in Jiwa, which he did not approve.
“I told her that if she decides to receive the title she should pack her things and leave my house,” Ismaila said.
However, the petitioner explained to the Court that her husband supported the idea of her being a titleholder when she brought it to his knowledge and later reneged.
“After he gave me permission to go ahead with the title, he came back home and changed his mind about it on the day of the ceremony when plans had been put in place,” she said.
The petitioner added that her husband threatened her life and so she packed her things and left.
The respondent however, told the Court that he had not been able to settle with his wife, adding that the Court should grant her wish.
“If she insists she wants a divorce, I cannot force her to stay,” he said.
Thus, the Court dissolved the marriage and ordered the parties to go their separate ways for the interest of peace.