Kano mass wedding: Celebrating family, hope, new beginnings

By Zubairu Idris, NAN —

When Haruna Bashir walked into the Kano Central Mosque on Aug. 7, there was little to suggest that the man had endured one of the most painful experiences imaginable.

He smiled, interacted with people around him and participated in the ceremony that marked the beginning of another chapter in his life.

Months earlier, Bashir had lost his wife and six children in a violent attack at Doroyi Quarters, Kano metropolis.

The tragedy happened while he was away trying to earn a living.

Since then, people close to him said he had become withdrawn and preferred to stay alone.

For Bashir, therefore, his appearance at the mosque was not just about getting married.

It was also an opportunity to reconnect with people after months of isolation following the loss of his family.

He was there to marry Rahinatu Jamilu-Yunusa under the Kano State Government’s 2026 mass wedding programme, popularly known as “Auren Gata”.

The programme brought together 1,500 couples whose marriages were sponsored by the state government.

At the ceremony, Gov. Abba Yusuf stood as Bashir’s guardian, while the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, stood for the bride.

The presence of Bashir at the event attracted attention because of the circumstances surrounding his participation.

The Commander-General of the Kano State Hisbah Board, Sheikh Aminu Ibrahim-Daurawa, said Bashir was taken as an example because of the tragedy that had befallen him.

“The governor sponsored Hajj and lesser Hajj for him, and gave him another house at Amana City, Kano.

“Ever since the pathetic incident, Bashir doesn’t like talking to people, but with this programme, he is now bouncing back to normal life.

“You can see him now smiling and relating with others throughout the programme,” Daurawa said.

Bashir’s ordeal began early in 2026 when assailants broke into his residence at Doroyi Quarters and killed his wife and six biological children while he was away.

Following the incident, Yusuf visited him to condole with him and directed security agencies to pursue those responsible.

A few days later, the governor sponsored Bashir to perform Lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia.

After his return, he was again supported to perform Hajj.

Yusuf also announced plans to provide him with another house in a different location because returning to the old residence could remind him of the tragedy.

In spite of the interventions, Bashir remained largely withdrawn.

His participation in the mass wedding therefore added another dimension to the programme, which the state government says is aimed at helping couples establish homes while reducing some of the financial burden associated with marriage.

The issue of how societies can support families and make marriages more stable has continued to attract attention in Nigeria, especially as households contend with rising living costs, unemployment, housing challenges and other economic pressures.

The conversation is continuously moving beyond the wedding ceremony itself to questions about what happens to couples after they say their vows.

Can newly married couples afford to establish homes?

Can they withstand financial pressures?

How can couples resolve disagreements before they become serious conflicts?

And what support is available when a family faces economic or emotional difficulties?

These questions have become important as the cost of establishing a household continues to rise.

The Kano programme attempts to address some of the immediate financial pressures.

Yusuf said the state government spent N1.5 billion on the initiative, covering medical screening, dowry, furniture and other support.

“We provided N100,000 as dowry, in addition to another N100,000 as capital grant to serve as seed capital for starting a business and promote self reliance,” the governor said.

He added that household furniture and other essential items were provided to help the couples begin their married lives.

“We also provided household furniture and essential items, including beds, mattresses, blankets among others, to enable the couples begin their married lives comfortably.

“The government also provided food items and other essentials commodities to cushion the hardship they may encounter during the early days of their marriage,” he said.

Medical screening was also conducted for the couples.

According to Yusuf, the exercise was intended to safeguard their health and that of their future children.

The programme also included an orientation course before the marriages.

Islamic scholars and professionals spoke to the couples about responsibilities within marriage, communication, conflict resolution and the importance of mutual understanding.

Sheikh Aliyu Abubakar spoke on “The Wisdom of Marriage in Islam”, while Prof. Ibrahim Mu’azzam Mai Bushira addressed the rights and responsibilities of spouses.

Sheikh Muhammad Nur Arzai spoke on the causes of marital conflicts and practical approaches to resolving them in accordance with Islamic teachings.

Representing the governor, Sheikh Ibrahim-Daurawa urged the couples to regard marriage as a responsibility founded on compassion and mutual understanding.

He advised them to remain faithful to one another and exercise patience and tolerance during difficult periods.

“Always strive to resolve disagreements through dialogue and respect, noting that these virtues are essential for building stable families and a peaceful society,” he said.

He added that successful marriage depended on both spouses fulfilling their rights and responsibilities.

“Family stability remains a critical pillar for the development of any community,” he said.

Earlier, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, who delivered the Friday sermon, urged the couples to build their homes on faith, patience, mutual respect and compassion.

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

The message reflects a growing understanding that marriage support cannot end with the ceremony.

The ability of couples to maintain their homes is also influenced by income, employment, housing, health and the quality of relationships within the family.

Nigeria’s economic situation has made these concerns more prominent.

The National Bureau of Statistics has continued to report high living costs, while food and other essential household expenses remain major concerns for families.

For couples starting a household, the financial pressure can be significant.

The support provided under the Kano programme is therefore intended to give the beneficiaries something beyond the wedding ceremony.

The N100,000 capital grant is expected to provide a starting point for income-generating activities, while household items and food are intended to reduce some of the immediate expenses of setting up a home.

However, the programme has also generated broader conversations about the role of government in supporting marriage and whether public funds allocated to mass weddings could have greater long-term impact in other areas.

Supporters of such interventions see them as a form of social support, especially for low-income couples who may struggle with the cost of establishing a home.

For them, providing dowry, household items, business capital, medical screening and counselling goes beyond funding a wedding ceremony.

Others question whether substantial public resources devoted to mass weddings might produce wider benefits if channelled into areas such as education, healthcare, employment, housing and broader economic empowerment.

The debate is therefore continuously shifting from the cost of the ceremony to what happens after the wedding.

In Kano, the government has sought to address some of those concerns by combining the mass wedding with economic support, medical screening and premarital orientation.

The approach raises a broader question about whether state-sponsored mass weddings should be viewed mainly as ceremonial events or as social interventions designed to help vulnerable people establish families and improve their economic circumstances.

For the beneficiaries, however, the immediate assistance remains important.

But financial assistance alone may not determine whether a marriage succeeds.

The 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey reported that more than one-third of ever-married women in Nigeria had experienced physical, sexual or emotional spousal violence.

The figure has continued to fuel conversations around healthy relationships, communication, respect and protection from violence within families.

It also reinforces the need for marriage initiatives to address not only the cost of getting married but the realities couples face afterwards.

For the Kano beneficiaries, the orientation programme was one attempt to address that aspect.

For Bashir, however, the issues are more personal.

His new marriage cannot erase the loss of his wife and six children.

But on the day of the wedding, he appeared more comfortable in the company of others.

Sa’adu Musa from Gezawa Local Government Area was among the beneficiaries.

“I am excited like the way someone is excited on the day of Arafah,” he said.

Musa said the religious teachings they received had strengthened their understanding of marriage.

“Various scholars have counselled us that marriage is an act of ibadah (worship),” he said.

He disclosed that it was not his first marriage, adding that he had divorced his first wife.

For Usman Ibrahim from Kano Municipal, the ceremony was simply a day of happiness.

“It is a joy and happiness for we the beneficiaries and the governor who sponsored the wedding.

“I can’t quantify my joy. We commend the governor for his intervention,” Ibrahim added.

The Chairman of the North-West Governors’ Forum and Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, also commended Yusuf for the initiative, saying it would contribute to improving the living conditions of people in Kano.

Islamic scholar Sheikh Kabir Gombe said the programme could also contribute to addressing insecurity and social vices, particularly among young people.

The reception held at the Kano Government House on Saturday brought the couples together again, with household items distributed to them.

For many of the beneficiaries, the celebrations may remain a cherished memory.

But the more important part of the programme begins after the celebrations.

The couples must now build homes, manage their resources, resolve disagreements and cope with the economic realities of everyday life.

That is why the growing conversation around mass weddings is shifting from the number of couples married to what happens after the ceremonies.

For Bashir, the journey is very significant.

A new marriage cannot replace the family he lost, and government assistance cannot undo the tragedy.

But after months of isolation, he was seen smiling and interacting with people again.

In a programme involving 1,500 couples and N1.5 billion in public expenditure, his story provides a reminder that behind the statistics are individuals carrying different experiences, hopes and expectations.

For him, Aug. 7 was a new beginning.

For the other couples, it was the beginning of marriage.

For the government, the real measure of the programme may ultimately lie in whether the support provided can help these couples build homes that remain stable long after the wedding celebrations are over.
NANFeatures