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When Mohammed Tahir lost his wife, he thought marriage was no longer possible. At 55, the widower could not afford to remarry.
On Friday, he was among 1,500 grooms who exchanged vows at a state-sponsored mass wedding in Kano that cost 1.5 billion naira ($1.1 million).
“I am 55 years old. I lost my wife, which is why I took the form and got involved in this mass wedding,” Tahir told News Central’s reporters at the Emir’s palace, where the two-day ceremony took place.
“If it weren’t for the help of the government, I couldn’t have gotten married.”
The event, coordinated by the Kano State Hisbah Board, marked the second mass wedding organised under Governor Abba Yusuf’s administration.
The government said the programme was designed to ease the financial burden of marriage for low-income residents.
Grooms share their stories
Mu’azu Dala said he chose his own bride and was not coerced.
“We did the wedding peacefully. We were not forced to marry anyone. I am the one who looked for the wife I wanted to marry. I even spent one year before I could find her. We are very happy,” he said.
Dantani Aruba, who already had two wives, expressed joy at adding a third.
“I just added another wife, and I am happy that I have married another wife,” he said.
Ahmed Ibrahim said he would consider a second wife in future if circumstances allowed.
“Going forward, if there is ease, I will marry another wife, if not, I will be contented with this,” he said.
Lukman Sunnis offered a prayer for all the newlyweds: “May God give all of us peaceful homes.”
Support for vulnerable families
Each bride received a dowry of 200,000 naira ($147) and startup capital for small businesses, along with household items including beds, mattresses and blankets, authorities said.
All couples underwent screening and pre-marital counselling before the ceremony, according to government officials.
Governor’s message
Yusuf urged the newlyweds to build their marriages on patience, justice and mutual respect.
“Marriage is an act of ibadah and should be conducted in accordance with the teachings of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW),” he said in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Sunusi Dawakin Tofa.
“I urge you to respect one another, uphold justice and fairness in your homes, and ensure peaceful coexistence as you begin this new chapter of your lives,” he said.
Yusuf described the programme as a “bold social intervention” designed to restore hope and promote dignified family life.
Among those taking part was Haruna Bashir, who lost his wife and six children in an earlier attack this year. Officials said the wedding marked a significant step in his recovery.
