The Kano State Hisbah Board has confirmed that Christians are eligible to participate in the state government-sponsored mass wedding programme for 1,500 couples, despite the initiative being rooted in Islamic family values and overseen by the Sharia enforcement agency.
Deputy Commander of the Kano Hisbah Board, Mujahideen Aminuddeen, disclosed that the programme, known as “Auren Gata” (marriage for the privileged), is open to all qualified intending couples regardless of religion.
He recalled that three Christian couples participated in the last edition held in October 2023.
The programme targets widows, widowers, divorcees, bachelors, and spinsters who cannot afford marriage expenses. It aims to strengthen family values, reduce social vices, and encourage marriage among financially disadvantaged residents.
Aminuddeen noted it discourages street hawking by young women and helps curb immoral behaviour linked to financial hardship.
Commander-General of the Kano State Hisbah Board, Aminu Daurawa, announced that the state government has approved N1.5 billion for the programme. About 5,000 couples applied, with 1,500 selected after screening.
Daurawa detailed the support package, “The government will spend N1 million on each couple, totalling N1.5 billion. Each groom will be given N100,000 as dowry for their brides, N100,000 as a token for the brides as empowerment, and beds, mattresses, furniture, and food items.”
Beneficiaries undergo HIV, hepatitis B, pregnancy, and genotype tests, and grooms must prove a source of livelihood and accommodation. Participants will also not be permitted to divorce without the Hisbah Board’s consent.
Stakeholders largely welcomed the initiative. Economist Abdulsalam Kani said, “As part of the initiative, the government will empower beneficiaries. Empowerment will help reduce poverty and unemployment… One of the major root causes of rampant divorce in the northern part of Nigeria is poverty.”
Sociologist Muhammad Hadi-Musa described it as “one of the most visible social intervention programmes in Northern Nigeria,” noting it normalises simpler weddings and generates conversations on family values.
Preparations are ongoing, with screening and verification processes in place under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration, which prioritises orphans and underprivileged families. The mass wedding reflects a broader effort to address social challenges through public support for family formation.
