By Rabi’u Sunusi and Usman Usman Garba
The Kano State Government has approved the sum of N1.5 billion for the conduct of a mass wedding programme aimed at supporting 1,500 couples across the state,the Commander-General of the Kano State Hisbah Board, Sheikh Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa has announced.
Speaking during a press briefing at the Hisbah Board headquarters in Kano, Daurawa said the initiative was in fulfillment of a campaign promise made by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to continue supporting mass marriages as part of efforts to strengthen family values and address social challenges.
According to him, the programme will benefit a total of 3,000 individuals, comprising 1,500 prospective husbands and 1,500 brides.
He disclosed that each couple would receive household items including a bed, mattress, bedsheets, pillows and floor mats, alongside food items such as rice, spaghetti, macaroni and groundnut oil.
Daurawa further revealed that the state government had approved N100,000 as dowry for each bride and another N100,000 as start-up capital to assist the women in petty trading after marriage.
“Each couple will benefit from about N200,000 in financial support in addition to furniture and food items provided by the government,” he said.
The Hisbah boss noted that all prospective couples would undergo mandatory medical screening covering HIV, hepatitis, genotype compatibility and pregnancy tests before being cleared for the marriage exercise.
He added that participants would also attend marriage counselling and sensitisation seminars where they would be educated on marital responsibilities and Islamic principles governing family life.
Daurawa explained that the programme was designed to address economic barriers preventing many young people from getting married.
“In our society, parents are often expected to provide household furniture and other necessities before giving out their daughters in marriage. Due to the current economic hardship, many families cannot afford these requirements, leading to repeated postponement of marriages and, in some cases, the collapse of intended unions,” he said.
The Commander-General argued that facilitating marriage would help curb social vices, including adultery, particularly among widows and divorcees who may remain unmarried for long periods.
He also maintained that the programme would contribute to reducing the spread of communicable diseases through the mandatory health screening process.
Responding to questions from journalists, Daurawa clarified that while this was the second mass wedding programme under the administration of Governor Yusuf, the initiative itself had been running in Kano since 2012.
He said previous editions of the programme had recorded significant successes, producing many stable families and children.
“We have recorded many success stories from the marriages conducted over the years. Many children have been born from these unions and some parents even name their children after leaders associated with the programme,” he stated.
The mass wedding initiative has remained one of Kano State’s most prominent social welfare programmes, aimed at promoting family stability, supporting vulnerable groups and encouraging lawful marriages in accordance with Islamic teachings.