By Lillian Okenwa
- As son of Nigeria’s ex-UK High Commissioner throws wife and sons into the street
- FIDA Abuja vows to secure justice
“Why should a man want a house given to his wife back after love goes sour?” is the question now being asked following the viral video of Jamila Sidi Sirajo Tafida, ex wife of Mohammed Tafida and her three sons who were evicted from their home in Abuja.
Following a marital dispute, a Sharia Court of Appeal, Abuja in 2021 granted Jamila who was married to Mohammed Tafida, the son of Ambassador Dalhatu Tafida, a former Senate Leader and one-time Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom the custody of her three children.
Mohammed had demanded custody of their children, urging the court also to give an eviction order against his estranged wife.
The court granted her custody but declined granting an order that she vacates the property.
Mohammed was also asked to give her maintenance in the sum of N30,000 monthly but never paid even once. He reportedly proceeded to remove the children from school for more than a year and seized all their documents including passports and birth certificates.
Thereafter, his father, Ambassador Dalhatu Tafida reportedly sued Jamila at an Abuja Magistrates’ court demanding that she moves out of the property. This was also refused and the matter went on appeal which is still ongoing.
The family dispute appears to have taken a different dimeson with Jamila’s allegation in the viral video that some men influenced by her ex-husband threw her and the children and their belongings out of their home.
Law & Society Magazine gathered that the aggrieved woman had at different times been represented in court by the International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA Nigeria Abuja and that there is a subsisting matter in court.
All through the period the case moved from the Sharia Court, to Sharia Court of Appeal, FIDA Abuja kept a watching brief on the development.
Expressing her concern over the matter, Rekia Racheal Adejo-Andrew, a former Chairperson of FIDA Abuja said: “Their case has been ongoing for a long time now. I recall ADAMA and I used to go with her to the Sharia Court. It’s so pathetic and unfortunate. The husband throwing her things out alongside 3 children with 1 autistic child while their matter is still pending in Court is wicked and cruel.
“Increasingly, we’re seeing more of this Jankara cases in FCT Abuja. Another retired Army General threw the wife’s things out about two weeks ago from their Maitama home while matter is pending in Court.
“Why should a man want a house given to his wife back after love goes sour? Women need to be sensitized more about securing their properties by getting such gifts duly registered at the Land Registry in case love ever gets lost in the marriage. When will all of this madness stop?”
Jamila’s ex-husband’s highly connected family are said to be punishing her because she refused to give up her children.
The question now, asked Ogechi Abu, an Abuja Lawyer and ex-Vice Chair of NBA Abuja (Unity Bar) is: “What are the options under the law..? Should he sell a matrimonial home without discussing it with his wife even if he bought it? Is she just a mere occupant in the house at his mercy? This is a litmus case.
“This has become a terrible trend in the FCT. Selling a house without the knowledge of the woman and the FCT High Court will proceed to execute a warrant and steal in the process. I am involved in another case where it happened.”
Vice Chair of FIDA Abuja and Chairperson, Litigation Committee, Francisca Akaniro-Opara threw more light on the situation.
This woman is still FIDA’s client.
I can remember she returned to the office and complained about more injustice meted on her by her ex-husband and his family.
Moji our general secretary was assigned the file despite the fact that she already had a lawyer, who was representing her in Court. The General Secretary began to watch brief in her matter and when she couldn’t attend, sent representatives to court.
At a point, Moji called this woman’s ex after his best friend asked for mediation on the matter. However, on the day of mediation only the woman, CISLAC representatives, the General Secretary and Chioma our Secretariat Staff attended physically. The ex’s friend spoke to them through his phone apologizing for his absence and the absence of the ex who said he was not in Nigeria and away on an official assignment.
Following that meeting, FIDA got to speak to both sides and tried to calm things down, where they all agreed to settle out of court. We were still in the process of resolving the issues, especially as both parties refused to agree on the issue of the house, when the man probably took this step! Plus, he was the one asking that all cases in Court should be withdrawn and we are wondering why he would resort to this level of wickedness.
We are also aware that she has lawyers representing her, but FIDA will continue to fight for her and ensure she gets Justice.
Watch the video below.
This case is typical of Nigerians in their eagerness to push sentiment across legal questions so much so that at the end of the day, we no longer ‘see the wood for the trees’. What is the legal question? What is the legal position? And what should be the application in this case?
If the question is, are gifts recoverable?. Yes, in law, gifts are recoverable. Can a man or woman recover his or her property upon divorce. Yes he or she can except it is marital property. And property does not become marital property merely because husband wife once lived in it. I think what Nigeria needs is to clearly spell out like some jurisdictions do, what actually consists of marital property otherwise there will be no end to these drama.