ABUJA, Nigeria – In an intriguing marital dispute, Hauwa Hamza has filed for a divorce from her husband, Yahaya Mohammed, at an Upper Court in Kubwa in Abuja, citing neglect and a lack of respect as the primary reasons.
The couple, who tied the knot in 2020 following Islamic traditions, have no children from their marriage.
Yahaya Mohammed, a businessman, made a counter-claim stating he would only agree to the divorce if his wife reimbursed him the N160,000 he claims to have spent on their wedding.
“If she wants a divorce, she has to get me another wife. I want my wife to pay me all I spent on her at our wedding. I paid N60,000 as dowry to marry my wife and spent N100,000 for her clothes. I insist on her paying me back the total sum,” Mohammed told the court on Wednesday, October 11, 2023.
Ms. Hamza responded, noting her willingness to get another wife for her husband if it were in line with Islamic teachings. However, she disputed the amount her husband claimed to have spent on her, emphasizing that her dowry was just N60,000.
She further added, “I do not have N160,000 to give him, only if he can also pay me for the satisfaction I gave to him during the marriage and the cooking I have done over the years.”
To this, Mr. Mohammed retorted that if she felt she had provided satisfaction, he had equally shouldered the responsibility of her feeding and overall welfare during their marital years.
Presiding over the case, Judge Mohammed Wakili clarified that, according to Islamic laws, it isn’t mandatory for a wife to find a replacement before a divorce is granted. The case is set to continue, with a judgment date scheduled for October 17.
