Kano Govt Gives out 1,520 Couples in Mass Wedding | Urges Wealthy Men to Marry more than One Wife to Reduce Number of Unmarried Women

On February 26th, Kano State Government gave 1,520 widows, divorcees and spinsters the sacrament of matrimony by the Kano Central Mosque in mass wedding.

The wedding which was the first under Governor Umar Abdullahi Ganduje‘s administration was aimed at regulating marriages ‎in order to sanitise the institution in the state.

The governor also called on wealthy people to marry more than one wife in order to reduce the number of unmarried women in the society.‎

According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) he said that the state government and Islamic scholars will come up with a document which would be presented to the State Assembly.

”We are determined in Kano State to come up with laws that will govern marriage and laws that will govern family lives,” he said.‎

In addition, Ganduje stated that the mass wedding was aimed at combating rising rates of divorce, births out of wedlock and the number of impoverished widows and divorcees in the state. ‎

He also decried the high rate of divorce and domestic violence in the society.

”A situation where you have domestic violence where women are beaten, sometimes beaten to death: This cannot continue,” he said.

It was also gathered that the government paid N20,000 in dowry for each bride and donated to each couple room furniture set and other items. Emir of Kano, Mallam Muhammadu Sanusi commended Kano state government for sponsoring the mass wedding, saying the gesture would help the less privileged.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Commandant, Kano Hisbah Board, Alhaji Aminu Daurawa revealed that the successful couples were certified fit for the exercise after they were subjected to series of tests, Vanguard reports.

Sheik Daurawa disclosed that each couple were exposed to HIV test by his board, evidence of economic and financial well-being of the grooms was certified, and clearance from the Ward Head that vouched for their impeccable character.

He also declared that under the conditions that qualifies grooms to participate in the mass wedding was a clause that guarantees “for better for worse”.

He further explained that “Hisbah board does not condone divorce under this arrangement, and would seek redress in court in event of violation. You are simply married till death do you part”.

The state Commissioner for Local Government, Murtala Sule Garo, said about N200m was spent for the mass wedding programme, with couples from each of the Kano’s 44 local government areas, unlike in previous mass weddings.