A Sharia Court in Nigeria has ordered that two teenage lovers be allowed to marry each other or it will get them married without their parents’ consent.
This follows a suit filed by a teenage girl, Halima Yunusa, against her father for refusing to give consent to her intended marriage to her boyfriend, Bashir Yusuf.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the matter was heard by the court sitting in Magajin Gari, Kaduna State, on Monday.
The news agency reports that Yunusa, who lives in Kasuwan Magani, Chikun Local Government Area of the State, told the court that she was in love with Yusuf but that her parents were not letting them get married.
In his defence, Yunusa’s father, Ibrahim, who is a businessman, admitted to the court that he was aware of the “extreme love” between his daughter and her boyfriend.
He was, however, quick to add that the young man had not fulfilled all known marriage rites, which is why he did not give his daughter’s hand in marriage to him.
“He came to me and expressed his desire to marry my daughter. I told him to come back with his parents and family members.
“He is yet to return. After about a year.
“He came back after a year and took my daughter and ran away with her for three days.
“We later heard they came back and went to my sister’s house.
“We informed the Police and both of were arrested and disciplined,” Ibrahim told the court, as quoted by NAN.
The businessman continued that after the release of the two love birds from police custody, they ran away again to spend two weeks in Abuja.
“But when I finally met with the boy’s father and had several discussions, he (boy’s father), said he would not allow his son to marry my daughter.
“At last, the boyfriend’s father later took us to the district head of our village where agreement were drafted and signed by all of us and our witnesses to caution my daughter to stay away from his son,” Ibrahim recounted.
Having examined both sides of the matter, the Judge, Murtala Nasir held that Yusuf’s father should be advised to allow his son, Yusuf, to marry Yunusa, whose father, in principle, is not against the marriage.
The judge warned, “If he refuses, we will get them married in the court even without his blessings,” and then adjourned the case until May 23, when Yusuf’s father is expected to appear before the court for final judgment.
However, Nasir advised Yunusa to reconcile with her parents and relatives and seek forgiveness and blessings.
Source: Pulse Ghana
