A Ramadan Lecture session held at the Banquet Hall, State House, Abuja. The event, which was convened by the Chief Imam of the State House, Sheikh Abdulwaheed Abubakar Sulaiman had the Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari in attendance as Special Guest of Honour. The event had the theme IDEAL MARRIAGE INSTITUTION: FOUNDATION OF AN IDEAL SOCIETY.
In his welcome address, chairman of the occasion, Professor Shehu Galadanchi, Lead Imam of the National Mosque, said the marriage institution is the most important among the human race and that like any other institution, it is bedeviled by challenges, which sometimes leads to divorce. He said it is important to reduce the rate of divorce, as its rampancy will affect the social well-being of the society.
Prof. Galadanci cautioned couples that the best way to attain marital peace is through mutual tolerance, saying tolerance was key to any successful marriage. He therefore commended the organizers of the Lecture for reminding couples to understand their marital rights and obligations, thereby reducing the rate of divorce in the society.
Key speaker at the event and Deputy Secretary General of the National Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Prof. Salisu Shehu, called for the institution of marital counselling in Muslim societies. He noted that rampant cases of divorce can be attributed to the lack of understanding of rights and responsibilities between spouses, leading to unfounded and unrealistic expectations. He identified challenges in marriage as abdication of responsibilities, poverty and repulsive behavior.
On his part, Dr. Aminu Bello, a lecturer at Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, observed that 15 -20% of marriages dissolve within the first three years and blamed misunderstanding of the purpose of marriage among couples. He also identified misconduct and external interference among the culprits and advocated for fear of Allah among the newlyweds.
Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, attended the lecture and delivered a goodwill message as well as Government officials, Wives of Governors, traditional rulers and Islamic scholars.
