By AISHA GAMBO

A widow, Aisha Zubairu, on Tuesday prayed a Shari?a Court sitting at Magajin Gari, Kaduna State, to marry her off to her old lover, Aminu Saminu.

The complainant had dragged her father, Zubairu Surajo, to court over his refusal to allow her to marry the man of her choice because of an old grudge.

?I am a widow and I want the court to confirm my right to choose a spouse.

?Saminu and I had been lovers before my forced first marriage to my late husband by my father.

?Now, my father says I can marry any other person but not Saminu.

?He even threatens to seek legal action against any of his relations who will defy his order and try to marry me off,? she told the court.

However, in his defence, Surajo said that his refusal of his daughter?s marriage to Saminu was due to an old disrespect to his family by Saminu?s parents.

Surajo, represented by his counsel, Nasiru Abdullahi, said that Saminu?s parents had not properly sought her daughter?s hand in marriage, in accordance with established Islamic law.

He further stated that Saminu?s parents had earlier refused their son marrying his daughter on the grounds that he was too na?ve.

Surajo told the court that it was the shame of the refusal that led him into marrying his daughter off to her late husband.

He, however, said that he could not stop the court if it insisted on using its discretion to conduct the marriage between the two.

?We have no objection if the court decides to conduct the marriage but we will not support her with anything except best wishes,? he said.

The Judge, Malam Kabir Muhammad, however, requested the physical presence in court of Surajo at the next hearing, which he fixed for Jan. 29. (NAN)

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