Over 300 widows, divorcees, and indigents were united in marriage at the Gwandu Emirate Palace in Birnin Kebbi, thanks to a mass wedding organized by Hajia Nafisa Nasir Idris, the wife of the Kebbi State governor.
The Nanas Foundation, a project initiated by the governor’s wife, facilitated the event aiming to address the challenges faced by individuals who have lost their spouses, gone through failed marriages, or lack the financial means to bear marriage expenses.
Expressing her intentions at the ceremony, the Kebbi first lady emphasized the deliberate efforts to reduce the high rate of divorces and widows in society through the mass wedding. She underlined the government’s responsibility to support citizens and highlighted the event as a means to provide a sense of belonging to divorcées, widows, and the economically disadvantaged.
Hajia Nasir Idris affirmed, “My husband has emphasized at various public forums his commitment to returning governance to the people, and through extensive projects and welfare initiatives for the people of Kebbi State, he is fulfilling this promise.”
The mass wedding ceremony involved the payment of a total of N21 million as dowry to brides’ parents, with each bride receiving N70,000. Additionally, the newlyweds were furnished with chairs, beds, kitchen utensils, and food items to support them in setting up their new households.
Notable figures present at the ceremony included Sheikh Aminu Daurawa, a respected Islamic cleric from Kano State, local government chairmen, prominent political figures in Kebbi, and officials from Hisbah who played a vital role in organizing and selecting beneficiaries from the 21 local governments.