Government sponsors mass Wedding for 1,500 couples
Celebrations have erupted in Kano, northern Nigeria, after 1,500 couples were married in a mass wedding ceremony organised by the state government on Friday.
The two-day event was described by regional authorities as an initiative aimed at helping low-income families reduce the financial burden associated with marriage while promoting social stability.
According to state officials, the mass wedding was funded through the government’s social welfare programme and brought together couples from all 44 local government areas in Kano State.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf approved the initiative and allocated approximately $1.1 million to finance the ceremony.
One of the grooms, Abubakar Aliyu Musa, said he decided to participate in the mass wedding to ease the financial pressure on both his family and that of his bride.
“The whole idea for the marriage is to help our families and we husbands who are not financially stable to marry. That’s why the government is helping us get married.”
Participation in the programme was subject to a selection process. All 1,500 couples underwent medical screening, including tests for HIV and hepatitis, as well as genotype compatibility checks.
Another groom, Samini Tijani Isa, said the government-sponsored ceremony had made marriage possible for him despite the economic difficulties facing many families.
“If it wasn’t for the mass wedding, I wouldn’t have gotten married even in the next five years due to the hardship of life.”
The ceremony took place at Kano’s central mosque, where the marriages were solemnised in accordance with Islamic rites.
The female participants remained outside while the male participants and officials conducted the proceedings in the presence of the governor.
State authorities said the initiative was intended to reduce the financial pressure on families and help the newlyweds establish their homes.
In addition to the wedding ceremony, the couples are expected to receive furniture, food, household items and financial assistance as part of the government’s support package.
