Local officials officiated the mass wedding of hundreds of couples in Kano State, northern Nigeria.
The mass wedding program for the underprivileged, sponsored by the local government, took place on Friday, October 13.
Many couples couldn’t afford to plan the wedding on their own in a nation where the economy is struggling.
“Life is really tough, this is why I could not get married untill now, though I wanted to. I pray my marriage becomes the key to my prosperity,” Yusuf Abdullahi, a textile trader said.
The government also planned a professional training session in addition to paying the dowry, purchasing furnishings, giving future brides trousseau gifts and a 26 dollar start-up capital. The state’s motivation was explained by trainer Naisa Ahmad.
“The wisdom behind teaching the brides some vocational skills is to make them self-reliant. Life has become so expensive. But if a woman has a trade she will be of help to herself, her husband, and the society as a whole.”
Rising inflation has compelled authorities to promote women’s employment, but in Nigeria’s traditional north, the husband is generally responsible for handling the household’s finances.
“These small trades will prevent us from constantly making demands on our husbands,” Maimuna Yakubu Yakasai said. “We have learnt a lot. If you have a trade that fetches you some little money you can pay for little ‘cash expenses which is a relief to your husband.”
As per the Sharia law enforcement leader in Kano state, arranging the mass wedding incurred an expense of around $1 million for the state. The wedding of the 1,800 couples was conducted in a decentralized manner, with ceremonies held across different local governments.