By Zayd Ibn Isah
Moroccan footballer, Achraf Hakimi, has been in the spotlight lately following the news of his divorce from Hiba Abouk, his erstwhile wife. French Magazine— First Mag reported that Hiba had asked for half of Hakimi’s assets and fortune, but was shocked to discover that he has nothing in his name, despite earning a whopping $1 million monthly from his club, Paris Saint Germain.
The 36 year-old actress went to court with the full weight of the law behind her, but as a typical Omo Mummy that Hakimi is, he had registered all his properties in his mother’s name. However, this report has yet to be officially confirmed or denied by either Hakimi or his wife.
On the other hand of this intriguing tale is Hakimi’s mother who came into the limelight during the most recent FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Hakimi shared an emotional hug with her in pictures and videos that went viral, tugging at heartstrings. Morocco had only just registered a shocking victory over Belgium. Hakimi would go on to replicate the same gesture in subsequent wins over Spain and Portugal. There is no denying the fact that the Moroccan footballer and his lovely mother share an unbreakable bond. A bond so strong that it may or may not have motivated Hakimi to entrust almost all of his wealth to his mother, much to the dismay of his wife.
Poor Hiba. Apparently, she met Hakimi in 2018 when he was still a young, promising player for his boyhood club, Real Madrid. The pair would go on to date for two good years before finally tying the nuptial knot in 2020. Their union would be blessed with two kids and seemed perfect until things fell apart recently.
There’s been speculation that Hiba may have decided to end it all on the heels of Hakimi’s rape scandal. The PSG star was accused of raping a 24-year-old lady right in his Boulogne home while his wife and children were on vacation.
In light of these sobering allegations, it was also revealed that the pair had been growing further and further apart due to irreconcilable differences that teetered on their differing personalities. The interesting fact about Hiba and Hakimi’s relationship was that as at the time they both met in 2018, Achraf was merely twenty years old, while Hiba was thirty-two. This has made many to see the latter as some sort of a predatory cougar, but perhaps, age is really just a number?
It’s necessary to note that in the midst of all this, Hiba is doing well enough as an actress with a net worth of about $3 million. She does not exactly need Achraf to survive, but a little more money has never quite hurt anyone. This has given rise to humorous speculations that since Hakimi might be virtually bankrupt with nothing to his name, Hiba may be compelled to part with half of her wealth in order to cater for him, instead of the other way round. No be double wahala for deadi body be that?
Hakimi and Hiba’s divorce saga has generated quite a lot of buzz on social media. While some people praised Hakimi’s wisdom, others were of the view that Hiba shouldn’t be derided as a gold digger simply because she asked for her part of a contractual marital agreement. They also believe the welfare of the kids to be very paramount towards ensuring Hakimi does the needful.
A few people also cited the example of the former Ivorian footballer, Emmanuel Eboue, who lost all he labored for to his ex-wife after playing football for years in Europe. Poor Eboue almost became suicidal. His story is truly pathetic, if not instructional. In fact, Emmanuel Eboue’s case is not altogether an isolated one. Iconic sportsmen such as Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan and Mike Tyson have all been hit by marital crisis. In Jordan’s case, the iconic basketball champion parted with $168 million ($226 million adjusted for inflation) — one of the most expensive divorce settlements as at 2006.
Definitely, the list of sportsmen, musicians and even business tycoons hit hard by nasty divorces is inexhaustible. But Hakimi’s case seems to have generated unprecedented controversy and uproar because of the circumstances surrounding it. Some people have even questioned the strict laws of marriage as well as the power women have to initiate divorce and claim half of their husbands’ fortunes, especially in the West. This has been taken to explain why most rich male celebrities dread tying nuptial knots with their girlfriends, preferring to keep them as “baby mamas” instead. Hakimi’s case may have further reinforced such understandable fears.
While we are praising the young footballer for escaping an unsavory fate, we should be worried that marriage as an institution is dwindling day-by-day. On social media, a popular hashtag — #DEGM, meaning “Don’t Ever Get Married” is often reposted by men wary of marital complexities. As they should be. The rate at which young couples go in and out of marriage is reprehensible and worrying, to say the least. Unfortunately, no one is talking about the mental health of the children often caught in the wake of post-divorce hostilities. Nobody really considers how these children are supposed to live the rest of their lives without enjoying the presence of their parents under one roof. A popular axiom says that when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. In a way, the same aptly applies to marriage and divorce. When a couple sunders a union over irreconcilable differences or much weightier reasons, it is often the children that bear the brunt.
Meanwhile, the fact that many marriages are hitting the rocks should not be the reason why anyone shies away from marital bliss. For every failed marriage, there are many successful marriages to look up to. All it often takes is stubborn hardwork, consideration and kindness to weather the storms which must surely assail every matrimonial home.
Hakimi’s mother may not be overly pleased that her son is a divorcee, let alone being fingered for the crime of rape. After all, the joy of every mother is to see their children happily married and doing everything to make the entire family proud. That is why we should be worried that the institution of marriage is crumbling right before our eyes and as such, we all need to go back to the drawing board. It all starts with our parents. They collectively have a lofty role to play towards stemming the tide of divorces in Nigeria, and even the world at large. Young couples should be made to understand that marriage involves serious work and which extends beyond elaborate weddings and fairytale romances. And that above all, tolerance is the key, even as it has its own limits.
Zayd Ibn Isah is the Media Aide to the Chairman, Police Service Commission. He can be reached via isahzayd@gmail.com