Both Muslims and Christians are welcome to participate in the state's mass wedding program, according to Mujahideen Aminuddeen, Deputy Commander of the Kano State Hisbah Board. In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Kano on Wednesday, Aminuddeen outlined the requirements for participation.
He claimed that the most recent mass wedding took place in October 2023 and involved three Christian couples. Although he could not yet confirm whether any Christian couples had shown interest in joining, he stated that plans were underway for the upcoming edition.
According to Aminuddeen, widows, widowers, divorcees, spinsters, and bachelors are welcome to attend the mass wedding, which is now called "Auren Gata," which translates to "marriage for the privileged." He claims that the initiative is significantly boosting families and lowering immorality in the state.
He stated that fulfilling the Prophet Muhammad's (SAW) command to encourage Muslims to get married and start families was one of the program's main goals.
He claimed that the program also reduces immoral behavior linked to delayed marriages brought on by financial difficulties while curbing street hawking by girls looking for money for marriage-related expenses.
Aminuddeen stated that all beneficiaries were chosen after screening and verification, and that the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf was specifically targeting orphans and poor families who could not afford to marry off their daughters.
Sheikh Muhammad Lawan-Yakub, a stakeholder, praised the effort, stating that it will improve families, shield youth from immoral behavior, and promote societal stability.
He was confident that the board's counseling, screening, and post-marriage advice would improve marriages and lower divorce rates.
Jamila Suraja, a resident of Kano, stated that the initiative had helped numerous families in need and advised recipients to approach marriage honestly.
However, she voiced worry that some couples in earlier batches allegedly got married primarily to obtain government assistance rather than to create enduring families.
Hassan Maikadara, another local, claimed that the program had given many men and women who wanted to get married but didn't have the money the chance.
It would assist many young people in defending themselves against unethical activities, he continued.
Dr. Abdulsalam Kani, an economist, stated that if the program is carried out correctly, it could increase the state's economic activity.
According to Kani, the program will reduce poverty, one of the main underlying causes of the high divorce rate, by empowering the recipients.
The government will empower recipients as part of the plan. Empowerment will help lower unemployment and poverty.
Poverty is one of the main underlying factors of the high divorce rate in northern Nigeria. Without a source of income, it is impossible to be married.
"We must recognize that empowerment will only be successful if those who will be empowered possess a specific skill or are involved in a specific trade."
Sociologist Dr. Muhammad Hadi-Musa stated that the effort should be assessed as a more comprehensive social development plan rather than only as a ceremonial or charity program.
One of the most well-known social intervention initiatives in Northern Nigeria is the Kano State Government's mass wedding effort.
Like his predecessors, the current governor, Abba Yusuf, has shown a dedication to implementing Sharia through programs like marriage facilitation.
"The mass wedding program is fundamentally a public policy response to social realities."
He claims that government engagement helps low-income people formalize relationships that could otherwise be postponed by offering basic support packages.
One could argue that Kano has benefited from these initiatives in a number of obvious ways. The campaign has challenged excessive ceremonial spending that frequently delays marriage and helped normalize smaller and more economical wedding styles.
Additionally, rather than restricting interventions to the infrastructure and economic sectors alone, it has strengthened the notion that public institutions can take part in family-support measures.
Hadi-Musa added, "The program has also sparked public discussions about responsible marriage and family values."
The Commander-General of the Hisbah Board, Sheikh Aminu Daurawa, recently discussed the upcoming mass wedding, for which a date has not yet been set. He stated that the Kano State Government had set aside N1.5 billion for the program, which will accommodate 1,500 couples.
Prospective couples are undergoing HIV and other medical testing, according to Daurawa, who stated that preparations are at an advanced level.
According to him, the board would make sure that every groom had a source of income and appropriate housing for the bride, as well as that couples were healthy and compatible.
According to Daurawa, each groom will receive N100,000 from the government to give to his bride as a dowry.
Each bride would also receive N100,000 as empowerment capital to launch a business upon marriage, he continued. Each spouse will receive N1 million from the government, for a total of N1.5 billion.
"The government will also supply beds, mattresses, furniture, and food supplies, and each groom will receive N100,000 as a dowry and N100,000 for the brides' empowerment. The program received about 5,000 applications. The effort will benefit 1,500 couples, or 3,000 people in total.
He added that the couples will be tested for genotyping, pregnancy, hepatitis B, and HIV.
He claims that anyone who takes part in the mass wedding scheme is unable to divorce his wife without the board's approval. (NAN)