- Over 4,000 prospective couples have registered for Kano State’s planned mass wedding, with 1,800 couples selected for medical screening and pre-wedding preparations
- The selected couples will undergo HIV/AIDS, genotype, and drug tests before the sponsored mass wedding scheduled for the next month
According to the Kano State Hisbah Board, over 4,000 prospective couples have registered to attend the state-planned mass wedding next month.
The board went on to say that it had selected 1,800 couples, and that they were already being scheduled for medical screening as part of the pre-wedding preparations.
Dr Mujahid Aminuddeen, the Hisbah Deputy Commander General (operations), revealed to Daily Trust that the selected couples would be subjected to HIV/AIDS, genotype, and drug tests before being drafted for the sponsored mass wedding scheduled for next month.
Mujahid stated that, despite the state government’s intention to marry off 1,800 couples in the first batch, over 4, 000 intended couples flocked to the board to register.
“The government has made only 1,800 reservations, but we have received thousands of requests to participate in the mass wedding.” When we briefed the Governor on the situation, he assured us that the government would continue with the program. He even requested that we write and begin processing for the next batch.”‘
“After going through the applications, we would further screen the list to verify genuine participants and then forward it to the governor.”
Malam Mujahid went on to say that because of the nation’s recent economic downturn, many people want to participate in the mass wedding, particularly girls and women whose parents want to marry them off but cannot afford the cost of the wedding preparations.
He advised the scheme’s beneficiaries to live in harmony, adding that those who divorce their spouses on flimsy grounds after the marriage would be forced to repay the government’s wedding expenses.
While shedding more light on the N20m budgeted for the wedding party as previously announced by the Board Commander, General Sheikh Aminu Daurawa, the Deputy Commander General (Women), Dr Khadija Sagir Sulaiman, revealed that the said amount was not set aside only for the Walima (wedding party), but would also cover pre-wedding activities such as a three-day induction course for the couple and an entrepreneurship course for women.
“An entrepreneurship course for women would be organized.” You are aware that the women will be given N20,000 each as capital, with which they will be able to start a business after learning a business skill such as soap making, car wash production, pomade, and so on. This is what the specified amount would be spent on.”
It should be noted that the administration of the state government, led by Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has set aside over N800 million for mass weddings in order to purchase furniture, food, and clothing materials, as well as dowry and capital for 1,800 intending couples through its mass wedding scheme.
Many prospective couples who spoke to Daily Trust expressed gratitude to Kano State Governor for allowing them to marry in their lifetime.