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Governor Yusuf’s Mass Weddings: Towards A Stable, Prosperous Kano State 

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Governor Yusuf’s Mass Weddings: Towards A Stable, Prosperous Kano State

By Abdullahi Yusuf
The administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has, right from its inception on May 29, 2023, been thriving to improve the lots of the people of Kano State, especially through the provision of infrastructure, healthcare, education, agriculture, economic empowerment and social intervention programmes.
Among such social interventions is the Mass Wedding Programme being sponsored by the Abba Gida-Gida Government.Originated by the Kano State Hisbah Board, the Initiative is anchored on the need to address a social issue in the Kano society.
Such social issue is the imperative to assist suitors – male,female spinsters and widows to get married to enable them to live a decent and fulfilled life based on the teachings of the Islamic Religion and the culture of the people of the state.
The government’s intervention came in the wake of the situation where thousands of eligible young men and women,as well as widows across the state,have been unable to tie the nuptial knot, largely due to economic hardships.
For it has been established that the trend has caused anguish, despair and frustration among the suitors,thus making them unable to impactfully discharge their functions as members of the larger Kano society.
Because the family is the foundation of the society, any member of the social setting that cannot get married due to certain constraints, cannot therefore, raise a family, hence their inability to meaningfully contribute to the growth and development of the society.
Having fully realized the suitors’ predicament,the Abba Kabir Yusuf administration in October 2023 conducted the mass wedding of 1,800 couples comprising widows, divorcees, and spinsters selected from across the 44 local government areas of the state.

 

The beneficiaries comprised 3,600 men and women.During the event, Governor Yusuf explained that the programme was a testament to his administration’s dedication to promoting cultural traditions and social cohesion, while providing couples with a memorable and cost-effective way to formalize their unions.

The Governor also said that the initiative strengthened the bonds between couples and also underscored the commitment of Kano State to support its citizens and celebrate the institution of marriage.

“This event reflects the deep-rooted values and unity of the people of Kano State and highlights the state government’s dedication to preserving traditions, while ensuring a bright future for its residents,” he said.

The Government then presented the newly-wed couples with furniture, beddings, foodstuff, and clothes,to enable them commence their conjugal life on a sound footing.

Then, the second batch of the mass wedding which was, as usual, coordinated by the Kano State Hisbah Board, came last week, and it was officiated by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf at the Kano Central Juma’at Mosque, Emir’s Palace.
While officiating the programme,the Governor described the initiative as a bold social intervention aimed at restoring hope, strengthening families and promoting moral values across the state.
Amid thunderous ovations from the newly-wedded couples, members of their families and well wishers, Yusuf said the programme underscored his administration’s commitment to supporting vulnerable citizens by easing the financial burden associated with marriage, and creating opportunities for dignified family life in line with Islamic principles and the rich cultural heritage of Kano State.
The Governor represented the first groom during the marriage solemnisation, where he formally sought the bride’s hand in marriage from her guardian, the Emir of Kano, Khalifa Muhammadu Sanusi II, who accepted the proposal in accordance with the Islamic injunctions.
Earlier, the Emir delivered the Friday sermon, calling on the newly-married couples to build their homes on the enduring values of faith, patience, mutual respect and compassion, stressing that peaceful families remain the foundation of a stable and prosperous society.
Commander-General of the Kano State Hisbah Board, Sheikh Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa, said the beneficiaries had undergone thorough screening and counselling, and that all the religious and legal requirements were duly fulfilled before the marriages were conducted.
The Chief Imam of Kano, Prof. Sani Zahraddeen, on his part, offered prayers for Allah’s guidance, blessings and lasting harmony in the homes of the newly-wedded couples.
Among the beneficiaries of the initiative was Haruna Bashir,whose wife and six children were brutally murdered earlier in the year.
During the unfortunate incident which occured on January 17, 2026, Bashir lost his wife, Fatima Abubakar, and their six children when assailants attacked their residence at Dorayi Chiranchi Quarters in Kano, thus killing the entire family.
He is now married to Nabila Kabiru Yunusa, courtesy of the government’s mass wedding initiative.
As part of the mass wedding gesture,the Abba Gida-Gida Government then held a reception for the 1,500 beneficiaries of the second batch of the initiative during which they were presented with furniture, foodstuff and empowerment packages.
At the reception, Governor Yusuf
charged the newly-wedded couples to respect and uphold the sanctity of marriage by living according to Islamic teachings.
He also reminded them that marriage is an act of worship and urged them to build their matrimonial homes in accordance with the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad(Peace Be Upon Him).

He advised the couples to respect one another,live in peace, harmony and mutual understanding, stressing that patience and tolerance are essential for the sustenance of successful marriages.

The Governor then explained that the “Auren Gata” programme was one of the key promises he made during his 2023 governorship election campaigns across the 44 local government areas of the state.

He disclosed that the state government had committed more than N1.5 billion Naira to the programme, covering medical screening, marriage counselling, dowry, empowerment grants, furniture and other support for the beneficiaries.
According to him, each couple received N100,000 as dowry, and another N100,000 as a capital grant to enable them to establish small businesses towards self reliance.
Yusuf said the government had also provided beds, mattresses and other household items, alongside foodstuff, and essential commodities to support the couples as they began their married lives.
He also disclosed that all the newly-wedded couples had undergone comprehensive medical examinations, counselling sessions and workshops organised to prepare them for the responsibilities of marriage.
The Governor congratulated them and prayed for Allah’s blessings upon their marriages, including the gift of righteous children who would contribute positively to their families, the society and humanity.
Earlier,the Commandant-General of the Kano State Hisbah Board, Sheikh Aminu Daurawa, said the mass wedding initiative had gained wide recognition across Nigeria and beyond.

He noted that the initiative was designed to support young couples financially and to also prepare them for the responsibilities and challenges of married life.

In his remarks,the Chairman of the North-West Governors’ Forum and Katsina State Governor, Umar Dikko Radda, commended Governor Yusuf for initiating the programme, describing it as an intervention aimed at improving the welfare and living condition of the people.
Prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau, who was representated by Barrister Kabir Haruna Umar Gombe, said the initiative would contribute to addressing insecurity and protests allegedly linked to unemployed and idle youths.
Other Islamic scholars who spoke at the occasion also commended the Kano State Government for the initiative and urged the couples to remain committed, respectful and loyal to their marriages.
Some of the beneficiaries, including Haruna Bashir,Muhammad Tahir,Amina Aminu and Aliyu Ibrahim, thanked the Kano State Government for introducing the initiative.

They, however,appealed to the government to expand the programme to enable more suitors to benefit.

“All of us here encountered the challenge of inability to get married because of lack of the required resources, especially the dowry, wedding clothes and furniture, as well as some capital with which to start a business.

“We, therefore, thank Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for graciously providing us with the necessary wherewithal to get married in these challenging times.May Allah bless him abundantly and grant him a second term in office to enable him to continue with the good work he is doing to develop Kano State,” the celebrating couples said.

Haruna Bashir, who is seen as one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Abba Gida-Gida social intervention programmes, so far, said the Kano State Government had fulfilled all the promises it made to him, including the provision of a house, a Hajj seat and wedding expenses, following the death of his wife and six children.

Bashir expressed his immense gratitude to the government for helping him to rebuild his life.

Observers of the mass wedding programme described it as a noble scheme capable of filling the “yawning” socio-economic gaps among the people of the state.

Apart from enabling to beneficiaries to set up a family and live a decent and fulfilled life, the initiative would help in curbing crime and criminality in Kano society,the Analysts said.

They further submitted that the scheme would assist in stabilizing the couples’ lives towards venturing into economic activities, using the N100,000 dowry and the N100,000 capital grant provided by the initiative.

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