Mass weddings were held annually in Nigeria’s northern state for many years until the previous administration discontinued the practice. The current governor had pledged to revive the ceremony, which was one of his key campaign promises.
The Kano State Government hosted a mass wedding on Friday, joining 1,800 couples in matrimony, mainly widows and divorcees selected from the 44 local government areas of the state.
A total of 3,600 men and women tied the knot in the mass wedding program sponsored by the state’s government and organized by the Hisbah board, a religious police force responsible for the enforcement of Shari’a in Kano State.
The administration said it sponsored the marriage of widows and new brides to help them build a foundation for family life and improve social conditions. However, the brides were not present at the event, only the grooms.
The Governor of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf, along with Rabiu Kwankwaso, leader of the Kwankwasiyya political movement, religious leaders, and other prominent figures attended the wedding at the palace of the Emir of Kano. About 300 couples were joined at once at a section of the ceremony held at the palace, while Kwankwaso and Yusuf acted as trustees for all the couples.
He recalled that the mass wedding initiative was a significant pledge he made to the voters during the campaign. The governor added that the event not only strengthened the bonds between the couples, but also showed Kano State’s willingness to support its citizens and celebrate the institution of marriage.
Earlier, the state government allocated more than N800 million ($1 million) for the purchase of furniture, clothing materials, food items, as well as for paying a dowry. The head of the Hisbah, Aminu Daurawa, told media that each of the brides would receive a set of bedding and N20,000 ($25) as economic empowerment.
The organizers said the festivities would continue on Saturday with a traditional feast known as “Walima” to be held at the Government House
According to local media, the couples, who are mostly previously divorced, are members of the Kwankwasiyya, and were selected by the Hisbah board. It was noted that the state provided a bride price of N50,000 (about $64) on behalf of each of the grooms. The media report specified that anyone who divorces his wife after the mass wedding will be required to repay the state government for the free items received.
Governor Yusuf said that the event demonstrated the state’s commitment to promoting cultural traditions and social unity, while providing couples with a “cost-effective and memorable way” of formalizing their unions.
