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A court in Kano, the largest city in northern Nigeria’s socially conservative region, has ruled that two TikTok stars marry after they shared videos of themselves kissing passionately, officials informed AFP on Tuesday.
A magistrate court on Monday ordered Kano’s sharia police, known as the Hisbah, to formalise the marriage within 60 days for the two influencers who posted “indecent” content.
Kano State is one of several primarily Muslim regions in northern Nigeria where sharia law coexists with common law.
“The magistrate court gave the order for the Hisbah to join the man and the woman in marriage since they are so deeply in love as to make romantic displays on TikTok,” said Baba-Jibo Ibrahim, Kano State judicial spokesman.
Videos featuring Idris Mai Wushirya and Basira Yar Guda went viral on TikTok, displaying them being affectionate and kissing, which elicited backlash from some residents of Kano.
Mai Wushirya, who has previously clashed with authorities over his videos, was apprehended and held in custody before the ruling. Yar Guda has gone into hiding.
An official from the Hisbah confirmed that they received the court’s directive and have already begun preparing for the wedding.
The Hisbah summoned Mai Wushirya’s parents on Monday, where they provided their “explicit consent” for the marriage; efforts were also underway to reach out to Yar Guda’s family, according to Sufi.
The Kano state government intends to purchase a house for the couple, following the bride’s requirement that they not reside in a rented dwelling, he stated.
Kano is the birthplace of a local film industry called “Kannywood,” which is said to produce over 200 films monthly in the Hausa language and forms part of Nigeria’s broader “Nollywood” cinema scene.
Muslim clerics and government authorities have closely monitored Kannywood.
However, the increasing use of social media by Kannywood artists for sketches and songs has led the censors’ board to expand its control to social media, resulting in the arrest and imprisonment of several TikTokers in recent years.
