By BASHIR BELLO and SUYUDI ISAH

The Kano Hisba Deputy Commander, Sheikh Mujahideen Aminuddeen says that the Kano mass wedding is open to both Muslims and Christians that are interested.

Aminuddeen made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano while speaking on conditions that qualified participants.

According to him, three Christians couples participated in the last one conducted in October 2023.

He said arrangements are ongoing for the upcoming one and he cannot yet ascertain whether Christians intending couples are participating.

Aminuddeen said the mass wedding which is now known as “Auren Gata” meaning “marriage for the privileged” is opened to all intending couples like widows, widowers, divorcees, spinsters and bachelors.

According to him, the mass wedding is playing a key role in strengthening families and reducing immorality in the state.

He said one of the major objectives of the programme was to fulfil the Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) injunction encouraging Muslims to marry and raise families.

According to him, the initiative also curbs street hawking by girls seeking money for marriage expenses, while reducing immoral behaviour associated with delayed marriages caused by financial hardship.

Aminuddeen said Gov. Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration was particularly targeting orphans and underprivileged families that could not afford to marry off their daughters, noting that all beneficiaries were selected after screening and verification.

A stakeholder, Sheikh Muhammad Lawan-Yakub, described the initiative as commendable, saying it would strengthen families, protect young people from immoral behaviour and contribute to social stability.

He expressed confidence that the counselling, screening and post-marriage guidance provided by the board would enhance the success of the marriages and reduce divorce rates.

A Kano resident, Jamila Suraja, said the programme had benefited many vulnerable families, and urged beneficiaries to approach marriage with sincerity.

She however expressed concern that some couples in previous batches allegedly entered the marriages mainly to access government support rather than build lasting families.

Another resident, Hassan Maikadara, said the initiative had created opportunities for many men and women who wished to marry but lacked the financial means.

He added that it would help many young people protect themselves from immoral acts.

An economist, Dr Abdulsalam Kani, said the initiative has potential to boost economic activities in the state if properly implemented.

Kani said the initiative, through empowerment of the beneficiaries, would translate into poverty reduction, one of the major root causes of rampant cases of divorce.

“As Part of the initiative, the government will empower beneficiaries. The empowerment will assist to reduce poverty and unemployment.

“One of the major root causes of rampant divorce in Northern part of Nigeria is poverty. You cannot get married if you don’t have means of livelihood.

“We need to understand that empowerment will only succeed if those who are going to be empowered have a particular skill or are into a particular trade.”

Dr Muhammad Hadi-Musa, a sociologist, said the initiative should be evaluated not only as a ceremonial or welfare programme but as a broader social development strategy.

“The mass wedding initiative sponsored by the Kano State Government has become one of the most visible social intervention programmes in Northern Nigeria.

“The current Governor, Abba Yusuf, like his predecessors, demonstrated exemplary quality on Sharia implementation such as establishing marriages.

“At its core, the mass wedding programme reflects a public policy response to social realities.”

According to him, by providing basic support packages, government intervention helps low-income individuals formalise relationships that might otherwise remain delayed.

“Kano has arguably recorded several visible gains from such programmes. The initiative has helped normalise simpler and more affordable wedding models, challenging excessive ceremonial spending that often delays marriage.

“It has also reinforced the idea that public institutions can participate in family-support policies rather than limiting interventions to infrastructure and economic sectors alone.

“In addition, the programme has generated public conversations around responsible marriage and family values,” Hadi-Musa said.

In his recent briefing on the upcoming mass wedding which scheduled date is yet to be fixed, the Commander-General of Hisba Board, Sheikh Aminu Daurawa, said Kano State Government has earmarked the sum of N1.5 billion for the conduct of the forthcoming mass wedding for 1, 500 couples.

Daurawa said the preparation was on top gear with expected couples subjected to screening of HIV and other tests.

He said the board would ensure that the couples are compatible, healthy and every groom has work to do and can provide accommodation for the bride.

Daurawa said the government would give each groom the sum of N100, 000 for onward presentation as dowry to their brides.

He said the government would also support each bride with N100, 000 as empowerment to start up a business while in the matrimonial homes.

“The government will spend N1 million on each couple totaling N1.5 billion.

“Each groom will be given the sum of N100,000 for dowry to their brides, N100,000 token for the brides as empowerment and also provide them with beds, mattress, furniture and food items.

“5,000 applied for the programme. A total of 3,000 are to benefit from the initiative, that is 1,500 couples.”

He said couples were subjected to HIV, hepatitis B, pregnancy and genotype tests.

According to him, whoever engages in the mass wedding cannot divorce the wife without the consent of the board. (NAN)

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