For about 1,500 couples who secured the opportunity to solemnise their unions through the Kano State Government’s Mass Wedding Programme, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has fulfilled another chapter of his social welfare and investment on human development in the state.

The beneficiaries, who underwent a series of medical and security checks before being considered for the programme, attested to how the mass wedding had eased some of the social and economic challenges associated with marriage.

At the official solemnisation of the Wedding Fatiha held on Friday at the Central Mosque, the new grooms appeared in white baban riga and red caps adorned with lace the infinity symbol, looking elegant as they prepared to begin a new chapter of their lives.

Many of the couples who spoke with The Guardian could not hide their joy over the social intervention provided by the state government to enable them to establish their homes.

They said economic hardship and poverty had prevented them from meeting the financial requirements needed to solemnise their marriages.

One of the beneficiaries, 35-year-old Abubakar Muntari, told The Guardian how economic hardship had frustrated his plans to marry despite his desire and readiness to establish a family.

Muntari lamented that the high cost of living, inflation and inadequate income had become major obstacles to his marriage plans.

He applauded the state government for introducing the Mass Wedding Programme, describing it as a huge relief for him and other beneficiaries who had struggled to afford the cost of marriage.

Similarly, 35-year-old Ahmadu Abdulkadir Hussain, a physically impaired groom, commended the state government for the intervention, saying it had eased his financial burden.

Hussain, a 300-level student of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, said economic hardship had frustrated his long-standing dream of marriage until the Mass Wedding Programme provided him with the opportunity.

According to him, “I have been longing for this opportunity, but I did not get it. Even though I am physically impaired, my several qualifications could not provide me with the resources to marry. I will forever be grateful to Governor Yusuf for this opportunity.”

Mohammad Dala, a 62-year-old man who married his second wife through the Mass Wedding Programme, also explained how he had struggled to fulfil the religious obligation until the government intervention provided him with the opportunity.

“I have been longing to take a second wife because of the need, but I did not have the financial capacity to do so. With the Mass Wedding Programme, through which the government is providing almost everything, including support to start a small business, I have been given the opportunity to take a second wife,” Dala disclosed.

Earlier, the Commander-General of the Kano State Hisbah Board, Sheikh Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa, said the beneficiaries underwent thorough screening and counselling, while all religious and legal requirements were duly fulfilled before the marriages were conducted.

He said the Kano State Government had earmarked N1.5 billion for the sponsorship of mass weddings as part of efforts to support less-privileged citizens and discourage immoral practices in the state.

Daurawa said the board had received about 5,000 applications from intending couples, adding that only 3,000 individuals, comprising 1,500 brides and 1,500 grooms, were selected for the exercise.

He explained that the beneficiaries were drawn from poor and vulnerable backgrounds, noting that the initiative was designed to assist young people who might not have the financial capacity to establish their homes.

According to him, the state government, under the leadership of Governor Abba Yusuf, provided each couple with beddings, food items, clothing materials, N100,000 for dowry and an additional N100,000 as empowerment support for the bride.

He added that about N1 million was expected to be spent on each couple under the programme, covering various support packages aimed at ensuring the success of their marriages.

The Hisbah boss further said the board would ensure that prospective grooms had accommodation and a means of livelihood before they were allowed to participate in the wedding.

He noted that the couples underwent premarital screening, including genotype tests, pregnancy tests, HIV/AIDS screening and hepatitis B tests, among others, to help ensure healthy marriages.

While officiating at the Wedding Fatiha, Governor Yusuf described the initiative as a bold social intervention aimed at restoring hope, strengthening families and promoting moral values across the state.

He 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 Kano’s rich cultural heritage.

Governor Yusuf 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, Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II, who accepted the proposal in accordance with Islamic injunctions.

Earlier, the Emir of Kano delivered the Friday sermon, calling on the newly married couples to build their homes on enduring values of faith, patience, mutual respect and compassion.

He stressed that peaceful and stable families remained the foundation of a stable and prosperous society.

The event was attended by Deputy Governor Murtala Sule Garo.